


Vespertine.

by HellsBellsSinClub



Series: Vampire Au's [3]
Category: Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Assault, Blood Drinking, Gen, Multi, Original trilogy timeline mixed with prequel trilogy, Story will get dark in places, Vampire AU, Vampire Sith, Viloence, more to come - Freeform, space vampires!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-02 17:40:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 32,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8676742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HellsBellsSinClub/pseuds/HellsBellsSinClub
Summary: Vespertine.relating to, occurring, or active in the evening.Luke Skywalker and his friends are doing what they do best; hiding from the Empire, establishing new bases, out flying pesky Tie Fighters that want to kill them, you know, the usually, when they get the message that one of their intelligence groups had found something that could be very important in the destruction of Vader and the Emperor. Which would be helpful for everyone seeing as the Emperor is really not pleased that the Rebels destroyed is Death Ray of doom, and in Luke's opinion, having a pissed off Emperor with all the power is not a smart or pleasant idea.That being said, they need to see if the information is valid and actually usable or if they have once again been betrayed. Again.What they are told is not much needed pass codes or co-ordinates to Empire held bases. Instead, they are told of an impossible chance and story that may help them bring down the Sith once and for all.*Story abandoned. Last chapter up. May rewrite at a later date.*





	1. Meeting on Saqor. Luke #1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Poplitealqueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poplitealqueen/gifts).



> Yay for Vampires! Wooo!
> 
> This idea came from one of Poplitealqueen's posts a while back. Believe it or not this was supposed to be a 6k QuiObi fic. What do I have right now? 30k+ with Original trilogy and Obi-Wan being sad. *Sighs*
> 
> This was a pain and a half to finish and edit and the next chapter wont be out for a while as that really needs to be edited buuuutt! I am very happy with how it has turned out.
> 
> Chapters will alternate between Luke and Obi-Wan. Warnings will be placed in this area when needed for each chapter as well as in the notes. If I miss something please let me know and I will tag it correctly.
> 
> This is a vampire story. The next chapter will hold the vampires seeing as this is just the introduction. I hope that I will be able to maintain my long chapters but I may not be able to either due to plot or due to lack of wording. 
> 
> Please be patient with author. And please leave Kudos and Comments! I would love to know what you think of what I have written!

Luke rested his eyes as he leaned his head back against the co-pilot’s chair. It was not his turn to fly and he was honestly bored without anything pressing to do.

It was a rare occurrence that Luke would have some time to himself these days. Since joining the Rebellion with Leia, Han and Chewie, Luke has been running around like a headless Clawbird on a flaming hot coal bed.

Finding bases. Out flying the Empire’s ships. Learning to correctly pilot the Rebellion’s ships. Making friends and oh you know, learning how to control the Force and not get himself killed while trying to do so.

Luke has been flat out day in and day out and honestly, he has enjoyed every minute of it.

(Mainly because when he does get times like this to relax and breathe, Luke quickly finds himself thinking about his Aunt and Uncle’s charred remains left out on the sand by the Storm Troopers and how Old Ben had been out right killed in front of him by Vader as they attempted to escape with Leia from the Death Star. And once Luke begins to thinks of that, it opens the floodgate for him to remember how it felt to feel each and every death the destruction of the Death Star caused and -)

“Hey Kid.” Han’s voice jolted him out of his darkening thoughts. The smuggler looked at him with sharp eyes and Luke knew that Han had guessed what he was thinking about. Though the rough man may not act like it, Luke knew that Han cared deeply for his friends and could tell when one of them was sinking into unfriendly and dark thoughts. Something the older man was prone to do himself. “I need to go and piss. Take over for me yeah?”

Luke rolled his eyes but stood and slid easily into the chair that Han vacated for him. Han clasped him on the shoulder and was quick to leave the area in search of the ‘Fresher. Han had an unfortunate habit of drinking before he flew and then needing to go the ‘Fresher several hours in. According to Chewie, it was like clockwork.

Speaking of the Wookie, Luke wondered how he was. Chewie had taken a blaster bolt to the shoulder the other week and while it was healing very well, Luke did not like to see his friends hurt; minor or otherwise. He was extremely happy that Chewie was such a strong and resilient Wookie and had torn the Storm Trooper who had shot him into pieces. Chewie was resting for now in the bunks at the back of the ship. He would recover and will be better soon.

That being said, Luke knew that his other friends were not always so lucky. He had lost count of how many men he had lost while working in the sky against the Empire’s sharp and fast ships (not true, he knew that he has lost thirteen team mates and he knew their names, age, planet origin-) and he knew that they were all only mortal at the end of the day.

One day, their luck will run out and all of them will fall.

Shaking away the thoughts, Luke concentrated on flying the Falcon towards their destination; a planet by the name of Saqor. The planet was near Dathomir and according to old records, it had once been the place for a Republic base during the Clone Wars. One of the Rebel intelligence teams wanted to meet with Leia and himself about some files that could prove useful in finding a way to take down Vader and the Emperor.

According to Leia, who has met the intelligence team they were meeting and trusts them completely, (despite the fact this really could be a trap) the old base holds a great deal of old ships and weapons that could still be used. Which they need desperately. With Alderaan gone, a lot of the funding that had gone into the Rebellion had gone with it, leaving a great deal of people without food or weapons.

And apparently the information is supposed to be good as well. Whatever it is, Luke silently hoped that it would contain some information on how to be a Jedi or at least how to use and control the Force. He was more or less running blind with a shiny glow stick of death in his hands and everyone was expecting him to know what he was doing while he was just trying not to cut off his hand.

Cutting off his hand did not sound pleasant or fun. He would rather avoid doing so, thank you very much.

Casually rolling the ship to avoid asteroids and debris from the Clone Wars, Luke mused on how the last eight months had changed him. He was no longer a farm boy on Tatooine that was for sure. And he was no longer ignorant to what was happening around him.

Before on Tatooine, the unspoken law was that you kept to yourself and don’t get involved in anyone else’s business unless you are willing to fight. Uncle Owen made sure he rarely left the homestead and when he was allowed out, Luke was always accompanied by someone else; who in turn kept him as ignorant as one could possibly be on Tatooine.

He had always believed it was because of the Slavers on the planet and the fact that Jubba the Hutt has a thing for pretty human boys and girls, but Luke was beginning to suspect that his Uncle knew that he could use the Force and that one day it may manifest.

Luke must have been lucky that it never did in that respect. If the Force had manifested while he was out alone in the town… He gave a shudder at the thought. He would have been outright killed or worst, taken to the Emperor himself. The rumours that he has heard of what happens to Force sensitive people make him shiver in fear.

No one takes kindly to anyone being able to use the Force anymore. Not since the Clone Wars and the apparent ‘Jedi Uprising’. Luke has heard so many stories, both before and after leaving Tatooine. He was very thankful that his Aunt and Uncle had shielded him from the truth for so long and that Old Ben had been there for him when the Empire finally had come.

Drawing his thoughts away from such things that he did not want to deal with without a bottle of shitty ale, Luke pressed the in-ship Comm.

“Alright everyone! Planet is dead ahead! Landing will begin in half an hour. No message from our friends just yet but we are early.” He spoke as loud as he could into the Comm. He was unsure if Chewie and Han had gotten around to actually fixing it yet or not.

Luke felt Leia walk through the ship up to the cockpit. Her presence always reminded him of the midday suns that burnt on Tatooine. Hot, sharp and able to burn anyone stupid enough to get caught within her gaze. How or why Han had managed to get it into his head that flirting with the Princess was a good idea, Luke would never know.

He was always silently thankful that he never found Leia or Han for that matter attractive. Han and Leia flirting caused enough fighting as it is. Luke didn’t want to know what would happen to the three of them if they all started flirting with each other.

Mind you, the idea of flirting with Leia did make him feel sick for some reason. Though Luke was not sure as to why. It had the same feeling as to when he thought about killing or harming Vader. Luke honestly did not know what these feelings were but he guessed it had something to do with the Force giving him a warning? Or something similar?

Who knows? It was too frustrating to think about if he was to be honest.

The sound of the door whooshing open drew his attention away from his thoughts and to the present. Leia calmly walked over to the co-pilot’s chair and sat down before giving him a tired smile. “I got off the Comm just before with our contact.” Leia’s cultured and precise accent always made Luke feel a little dumb with his Tatooine roughness. “Fulcrum and Captain are already down at the base waiting for us.”

Luke nodded and gave a tired smile to the Princess. “Are we meeting them in person or are they just dropping everything off and leaving?” He asked as he began to set up the landing sequence to the correct coordinates. It was not unusual for intelligence to drop something off and leave without speaking to them and Luke would not be surprised if that was the case.

Leia shook her head before rolling her neck with a grimace of pain. Leia had been thrown pretty hard into a wall in their last mission and Luke silently noted that she wold probably need to have her neck looked at again. “They are meeting us. Apparently they need to talk with us about the documents first and Fulcrum wants to talk with you personally, as does the Captain. If the rumours are right, then they may have known your father.”

Luke looked away from the control panel and stared at Leia with wide eyes. Any information about his father was something Luke treasured and secretly (okay, not so secretly) horded when he could. Anakin Skywalker was a mystery to him and he so desperately wanted to know the man his father once was.

(He also very quietly looked up anything to do with Old Ben. The man lived so close to him his whole life and Luke never really knew him. Which was a shame, given that Ben had given his life to save theirs. He had childhood memories of playing ‘Touch the Hut’ around Ben’s place. He and the other kids would run up to Ben’s hut, touch the outside stone and run away. More than once Ben would come out, robes blowing in the wind and offer them water and sweet fruits. Of course, all the them would run away, fearful of the so called ‘Wizard’ that ate Sand People for dinner. Luke always found those stories amusing when he was older and knew different. Now he just finds them sad.

How isolated was Ben? Was it his own choice? A way for him to hide away from Vader? Or was he really just a lonely old man who made it his life mission to watch over his best friend’s son after his best friend’s death? Luke doubted he would ever know the truth.)

Leia quirked her lips and shook her head. “We will get the information from them first. Then you can question them to your heart’s content.” She ordered almost playfully. There were times when it felt the two of them could read each other’s minds, or at the very least have a general idea of what the other was thinking.

(Luke wasn’t sure if it was because of the Force or if it was because he could read Leia’s face really well.)

Which is both a good and bad thing. Good as he can guess what Leia means when she is talking about technical political things that mean absolutely nothing to a moisture farmer boy from Tatooine.

Bad because there are times when Leia looks at Han and then there are some images that Luke would rather he never has to see again.

Shaking his head and giving a cheeky smile, Luke continued to pilot the ship down. Han joined them with Chewie just before they hit the ground. The smuggler’s presence felt like a glass of warm ale. Smooth, warm and calming with a hint of bitterness. Chewie felt wild. Like a forest at night. Both of them were now as familiar as Leia in his mind.

From above, the planet looked like an average forest planet. High trees. A few streams here and there. A mountain or two in the distance.

As they got closer to the ground and to where they were to dock the ship, Luke could see a series of buildings built in and about the trees. Different shapes and sizes and all still looking stable despite being abandoned nearly two decades ago. There was also a fractured part of what used to be an old but large stone wall that surrounded the area where the buildings were. It looked like time has eroded what this place once was.

Whenever there was trees and plant life, Luke noticed that the Force would almost sing around him. And whenever he could, Luke would go to planets like these and just let himself sit under a tree somewhere and rest. But it was rare that he would dare to do so. The Empire is out there looking for him and his friends and there is always so much work to do.

“Huh, so this is Starlight 13 then? And our contacts I take it?” Han asked as he looked and pointed out the view point, pulling Luke out of his thoughts and day dreams. Luke blinked as he looked to where Han was pointing. There was another smaller ship within view and everyone could clearly see two people not too far away from it.

Leia gave a nod and shivered slightly, her eyes fixated one of the buildings. “Yep, this is it. And the base used to be a Republic out post during the Clone Wars.” She confirmed as she grabbed her Comm from her belt.

Luke watched Leia rattle off several codes into the Comm and received the answering codes in return. It looks like they might not be walking themselves into a trap after all.

Oh who was he kidding? This could still definitely be a trap. It would not be the first time someone had betrayed them and led them almost into the Empire’s hands.

But Leia seemed confident and calm. And no one had tried to shoot them while they were stationary within the ship. Maybe it would be safe?

Who knows? Luke knew that they wouldn’t know until they leave the Falcon and approach their contacts.

With a shake of his head, Luke attempted to reach out with the Force to try and ‘sense’ what and who was there. The only thing his untrained mind seemed to feel was the bare presence of two people. Nothing else. No personality. No intention. Just the fact that there are two people there. It was like he was looking through a mound of sand. Everything was muffled.

And he couldn’t feel anyone one else. But that doesn’t really mean anything really. Droids work just as well as people do.

Luke snorted silently. So much for being the mysterious and powerful Jedi that the Rebellion is making him out to be. He can’t even sense who was out there. Hell, if he wasn’t so used to the presence of his friends, Luke was sure that he would not be able to even feel nor tell where they were even on the ship. It took him over a month to even know one of his friends was on the other side of a door or not.

It was times like these that he cursed Old Ben for leaving him like this. He needed guidance and teaching if he is going to be any help to anyone. Or survive for that matter.

All he is right now is a somewhat decent pilot and another mouth to feed. He needed to become better, become stronger, if he was to be able to help in the fight against the Empire and help destroy Vader once and for all.

Pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind, Luke concentrated on grabbing both his Lightsaber and his blaster before following Leia to the ramp. He half listened to Han grumble that this could be a trap and that he does not like the fact that there was so many places for an enemy to hide. It was comforting to know that someone else felt the same apprehension about going out there as he did. Han always disliked these missions. The old smuggler has been betrayed too many times in his life to really trust anyone he did not personally know and vet.

Luke was quite frankly surprised that he trusted Leia and himself. But he silently thought that Han’s trust for them was more to do with the fact that Chewie more or less adopted the two of them after their disastrous rescue attempt on the Death Star.

The old Wookie cares deeply for Luke and Leia, almost as much as he cares for Han. Luke could feel the familial love that the Wookie felt for all of them and Luke was not above secretly hording that love close when he is feeling down. 

Speaking of Chewie, the Wookie stood by the ramp with his bow caster loosely held within his good arm. The other arm was wrapped up tight with a bright white bandage that stood out against his fur. By his leg was Artoo who was looking worse for wear. His normally white and clean metal body was full of dents and dust from their last mission. When this is done Luke was definitely going to clean up the droid.

He was thankful Threepio was back at the main base, helping translate several messages and documents that some of the intelligence had found in the last few months. He would not have had a moments rest if the fussy droid was unclean or dinted. 

Luke smiled up at the Wookie and knew that nothing anyone said would ever make him stay on the ship while they go out. Chewie was too loyal and stubborn to let them go anywhere alone. The old Wookie did not care that he was injured. He kept growling that it was only a flesh wound and that they should all stop babying him.

Leia must have had the same thought as he did as she merely smiled at Chewie and gently ran her fingers over Artoo before she took out her blaster and walked down the ramp. Luke shared a small smile with the others and followed her down, his blaster out and Lightsaber on his hip.

Together, the five of them walked towards the pair cautiously. Luke could not feel any danger around them but that did not mean anything if he was honest. He didn’t feel the last attack before it happened and if there was another attack today, it will just show how much of a failure he really was.

Luke hid his frown at that thought. He knew he should not be thinking like that but it was hard not to when he continuously failed his friends and allies. There was so much pressure on him to be this fabled Jedi Knight and Luke was at a loss on what to do most of the time.

But he could not allow himself to think like that right now. He has a job to do and wallowing in self-pity will only make it harder.

Shaking his head slightly, Luke put his mind to the here and now. He can dwell on his failures later, in the privacy of his bunk. Right now he had to be aware of any possible attacks.

As they came closer to the two intelligence officers, Luke realised that one of them was a non-human. A Togruta to be exact. Her male companion covered his head completely with an almost Mandalorian styled helmet. The man also sported a chest plate that was probably a nice clean white once upon a time but was now covered in scratches and dints. Between the two of them, Luke noticed in shock, the Force shone brightly as Tatooine’s suns. There was a strong link between the two officers and Luke dimly noticed that the link also reached both himself and Leia for some reason.

Before he had the chance to think or even examine the link, Artoo let out a loud scream and wheeled himself as fast as he could towards the Togruta and helmeted man. The loud beeps and screeching of binary had Luke blushing slightly. While he did know, his droid did like to swear, the words that were coming from the little droid even made him shocked; and he was from Tatooine for the love of the Suns!

“Artooie!” The Togruta cried out in surprise, kneeling down to embrace the droid. She received a zap from a pissed off droid for her efforts. From what he could translate, the Togruta, Snips was it? Left and Ani was sad and everything went to hell and she never, ever wrote to him. The Togruta cursed and almost fell over while her male companion laughed next to her; a rich a cheerful sound that Luke that rarely hears these days.

Yikes, he knows that Artoo was old and was from who knows where, but Luke never realised that his droid was a sensitive little guy with such deep feelings. Nor did he realise that his droid was so well known. Seriously, there was so many people who seemed to know Artoo and Artoo greeted them with either enthusiasm or with a zap like he did right now.

Was this why everyone is told to wipe their droids? So that they don’t become emotionally overwhelmed? Artoo was literally crying oil. Literally. Luke silently bemoaned the fact that it was going to take ages to clean the oil off of the droid. And the fact that his droid was crying oil. And the fact that Artoo could set himself alight if he tries to zap anyone again.

“Artoo!” He called out to the droid, jogging closer to the intelligence officers despite Han’s curse and annoyance that Luke once again ran off without the group. If Artoo thought these guys were alright, then Luke knows they on their side.

The Togruta looked up at him from her place next to Artoo, her bright blue eyes widening slightly as she looked at him. Luke took note of how pretty she looked and took a quick catalogue of how many weapons she had stashed away on her body. He did the same for the man. Han and Chewie had spent most of their free time helping Luke learn how to spot weapons and how to disarm a person both with words and with and without weapons.

Both the man and woman were well armed and the closer he was to them, the closer Luke realised that the Force felt warm and comforting. Like when you drink a nice hot glass of spiced tea by a fire with friends in the winter storms.

Not even Old Ben felt like that. Old Ben felt warm yes, but there had been a sadness that clung to him wherever he was. With these two, Luke felt calm and safe immediately. They could be with the Empire and he would still feel like he should trust them and do what they say.

That itself was a worrying thought, but there was no malice to be seen or felt from them. When he felt the other’s catch up to him, the feeling of safety remained.

Leia smiled brightly at the Togruta and bowed her head slightly. “It is good to see you again Fulcrum.” Leia spoke with full honesty. “And you too Captain.”

The Togruta stood and bowed at Leia. “It is good to see you again Byselia. Welcome to Starlight 13.”

The man, Captain, didn’t say anything but he did jerk his head at Leia in acknowledgement. Luke wondered if the man did or could talk and guessed that he would find out soon enough.

“Who are your friends Byselia? You never mentioned what they should be called.” Fulcrum asked as she soothed her clothes and stood up with a small quirk of her lips.

(They were very pretty lips. Full and plump and a very nice shade-. He should not be thinking that. Nope. Bad time to be thinking that.)

Leia gave a sharp smile and Luke quickly noticed that this was a test for both Fulcrum and Leia. If one side does not give the right answers then other will fire on them. Cleaver.

“Well, beside me I have Bacca of Kashyyyk.” Leia gestured to Chewie with the hand that was not holding her blaster.

Chewie gave a low growl at his introduction, saying quietly and under his breath that he hates it when they say Bacca wrong and that humans are impossible to teach proper gramma. Fulcrum looked like she wanted to smile but the Togruta managed to keep a somewhat blank face. Her eyes lingered on Chewie and there was a slight tilt of her head as if she was trying to remember something. Or someone. Did she know Chewie by chance?

And Chewie was looking at Fulcrum with a tilt of his own head. Yeah, there was no way that these two didn’t know each other. Luke briefly wondered what their story was before Leia’s voice made him concentrate on what was happening.

“The scruffy looking man who looked like he just rolled out of bed is Pyroini, our pilot. And the man by you there is Rectifier. And you of course know Artoo.” Leia continued, ignoring Han’s glare at the mention of being scruffy looking.

Luke never did have the heart to tell Han that he really did look like he rolled out of the bed most of the time that he was strutting around. The older man looked and acted too adorable for Luke to do so. And the scruffy look did work for the smuggler in some odd way. It made him look like a lost puppy at times. Especially when his hair fell into his eyes.

He felt more then saw Captain looking at him through his helmet, but Luke said and did nothing. He kept his attention on the two women speaking and kept his hand away from his Lightsaber, despite his urge to grab it. Luke hates it when people stare at him and grabbing his Lightsaber had become a safety net for him, something Han has been trying to get him to stop doing as it is apparently a huge tell.

Fulcrum nodded and seemed pleased with the answer that Leia gave. “How were you getting out here? We had to go around several patrols on the way.”

Leia nodded and Luke watched an almost weary and tired expression touch her face for half a second before disappearing as if it was never there. How Leia manages to hide those expressions so quickly and easily he will never know. Luke guessed that her training as a senator for Alderaan with her father was the reason.

“We took the long way ‘round and were almost attacked twice.” Leia spoke grimly. “They are getting more and more bold these days.”

Fulcrum sighed and rubbed her left eye. “That they are, my young friend. That they are.” A moment of silence fell over them before Fulcrum continued. “Let us go inside. I will explain to you the information we have obtained. As well as explain the base and how the Rebellion can find some use for it.”

Leia nodded and with that the group began to make their way to a large bunker not too far away. From the sky they had seen that this was the largest building and it was situated at the around a group of trees. As the moved closer to the base, one tree stood out from the rest to him.

It was a large Wisteria tree that grew by the side of the wall to the base. The purple and blue flowers that hung down from the branches were soft and gentle on the eyes. The tree stood tall and grand around the harsh green foliage around it and looked to be at least two decades old. His own eyes were drawn to the base of the tree were a small engraved sign lay. As they passed the tree, Luke stopped to read what the sign said.

Here rests the memories of the 098 Weaver Battalion and their leaders who loved them and each other dearly.

kapr gar udes kaab o'r ca bal rala tyatr cuyir gar hbina yaim. Frhnhphri Gihl-Sii & Commander Sober of the 098 Battalion.

Luke frowned slightly at the writing, unable to translate it. “What does it say?” He asked as he stopped by the tree.

Captain paused and looked at the tree before looking down at the message. A deep, bone weary sigh came from under the helmet before he spoke. “It’s Mando’a. It translates to ‘may you rest soundly in the night and let the stars be your guide home.’” He explained.

Luke looked at the other man and nodded solemnly. He may be an ignorant youth from the backwaters of Tatooine, but Luke knew that those words meant something special and that he should not ask any more questions about it.

He left the tree and its memorial where they lay and followed Captain into the building. Han and Chewie were right behind him and sealed the door the best they could when they were all in.

The halls were barely lit and the smell of must and dust was almost overwhelming as they walked through the cold corridors. But that did not seem to matter or effect the way the building felt. Luke could almost see and hear the life that once graced these walls. In his peripheral vision, Luke could almost see the white armour and his ears continuously picked up the sounds of a bell like and joyful laughter.

Whatever happened here, whatever deaths occurred, there was still the memories of love and joy imprinted within the walls, the floors and the doors. The Dark cannot taint the joy and love that resides within this place. Or well, used to.

It was slightly heart-warming to know that the Light and love he felt was still very much present here. Many other bases like this that had been abandoned at the end of the Clone Wars did not have their Light anymore. They only held betrayal and anger and hate within their walls and Luke never liked to go to those places. But here? Here was somewhere where Luke would gladly visit again.

It took several long minutes to get there, but finally they came across a room that Luke took an educated guess and thought it to be a control room of sorts. There was old, out dated tech everywhere as well as monitors that showed every security camera (that was still working or undamaged). He was surprised to see just how big the base was and how many monitors there were. There was a whole wall dedicated just to monitors.

Captain must have noticed his look and said. “This is only the main part of the entire base. If I remember correctly, Commander Fern had most of this base split up to ensure that everyone in her battalion had a place to stay and something to do.” There was a fond tone in his voice as he spoke.

Fulcrum looked sad as she spoke up. “Fern remade this base to ensure the comfort and safety of all of her men. She was…” Fulcrum sighed. “She was a good person.” Shaking her head, Fulcrum gestured to the seats on one side of the wall. “Please sit while I explain why we are here.”

Luke nodded and decided that he would ask Fulcrum about this Commander Fern later if he could. She sounded interesting and if his knowledge of the Clone Wars is correct, then she would have been a Jedi. And Luke was desperate for any information on Jedi.

He took a seat next to Han and Chewie. Leia sat on the other side of Han and with her nod Fulcrum began to talk.

“As you may know, information from before the Empire began as more or less either been completely wiped away or has been changed to suit the Empire’s desires.” Fulcrum started. “Captain and I have been searching for information that could help destroy Palpatine and Vader and also dismantle their reign of terror.”

Luke nodded as he listened. He remembered how Leia had ordered several groups of intelligence teams to not look for places where the Rebellion could set up base but to instead look for weaknesses and information dating before the Clone Wars.

“What did you find?” Leia asked, leaning forward with an intense expression on her face. If there was anyone who wanted to destroy the Empire, it was definitely Leia.

Fulcrum gave a bitter smile and held up a series of Data Chips. “A weakness that Palpatine and Vader share.” She held her hand up to ward off the questions that they all wanted to asked. “Let me finish. What I am about to tell you may seem a little far-fetched but I have seen this all myself first hand.”

Fulcrum put the Data Chips on one of the many control panels before she began to speak. “While it is not common knowledge, Palpatine and Vader are what are known as Sith. Essentially they are the opposite of what the Jedi are. They are cruel, evil men who enjoy torture and pain. They are both extremely powerful with the Force and unfortunately for us, have a power source that is keeping them powerful and near immortal.” She explained.

Han scoffed. “Immortal? Nothing is immortal lady. The longest anyone can live for is a thousand or so years and even then you die of old age.” Leia smacked Han’s arm and glared at him for interrupting but Fulcrum did not seem to mind the interruption.

“You are right.” She stated. “Most species can only live for a thousand years maybe two if they are lucky. But Palpatine and Vader have something in them that not only makes them more powerful, but it also extends their life.” She looked at each of them with narrowed eyes.

Han interrupted again. “How and what is it then? And can it be used to help, you know, the rest of us?” His voice was sceptical and his deep brown eyes were narrowed as he glared at the Togruta.

Fulcrum did not seem to mind the scepticism, nor the glaring. She spoke in the same even and calm voice she has since they met. “None of us can use it. It will destroy all of what we are and what we stand for.” She stated simply. “What they are infected with is a parasite known as Vam’pyre. It is a very old Sith creation and highly dangerous. Before he was infected, Vader was a Jedi Master and a good man.” Fulcrum paused and looked down, sorrow on her face. “But Palpatine got his fangs into him and now he is that creature you have all seen.”

Vam’pyre? Like the old stories on Tatooine? “Wait a second...” Luke spoke up, startled. “You are not talking about the blood sucking monster that attacks at night from the stories are you?” He asked in confusion and in slight annoyance. He knows that all stories have some truth in them and the such but really? Vam’pyres? Give him a break. The last thing he wants to deal with is a mythical blood sucking monster that hunts at night.

Fulcrum gave him a small half amused smile before nodding. “I am. All tales and stories begin with some truth.” Her voice was not unkind as she spoke to him. “Vam’pyre infected Sith, or Blood-Infected Sith are very real and very dangerous. And we have managed to gather firsthand information on how to kill or at the very least, deal with them.”

Leia shifted in her chair and Luke could feel her doubt. “What is on those Data Chips Fulcrum. And where did you get them from? If they do contain a way to destroy Vader and the Emperor, then we must be absolutely sure that it is not false information nor anything that can lead us into another trap.” Leia’s voice was firm and steady as she spoke, Luke could see the sternness on her face.

Fulcrum’s smile turned into a grim bitter show of teeth before she shook her head. “The information is sound.” She stated. “I can remember Obi-Wan writing these during the War.”

Her simple statement sent a jolt of surprise through Luke’s body. Obi-Wan…

Old Ben. She knew Old Ben. And had been with him in the Clone Wars. Does that mean?...

Oh.

“You’re a Jedi!” He exclaimed with wide eyes. Yes… she was a Jedi. A strong one too. Luke could feel her and could feel her power. So, she wasn’t just a Force Sensitive like him!

Fulcrum sighed and shook her head, a sadness seemed to wash over her entire body and it leaked into the Force around her. “I am no Jedi my friend. I never completed my training and left the Order before the Purge.” A small bitter smile touched her face for a moment before it was gone.

“Obi-Wan and my Master both encountered Vam’pyre Sith many times before and during the War. I ran into a few myself but was never attacked like they were.” She gestured to the Data Chips. “Obi-Wan wrote down his experiences and all that he knew of the Vam’pyres, including how to destroy them or bring a Sith back to their original mind state.”

Han leaned back on his chair, Luke could feel his distrust and his eyes narrowing at the Togruta. “Yeah? And how can you bring something evil back to their ‘original state of mind?’ What the hell does that mean anyway?” Han growled. The seasoned smuggler was distrustful to any information that could be fake. Luke knew that Han meant well and that the older man’s experience and distrust had saved their lives more times than he could count, but Luke was nearly certain that the information and trustworthiness of Fulcrum and Captain was true and sound.

And Luke was not saying that he trusted them just because they were Jedi or knew Old Ben.

Captain tilted his head and slowly took off his helmet before he spoke. Under the bucket was a handsome, weathered face of an older man, possibly in his late sixties, who sported a white beard and golden brown eyes. “It means Vader was once a good man like Fulcrum said. I didn’t serve underneath a psychopath in the War you know. Whatever Sidious did to him to turn him made him into a monster. With the information we have here we can either destroy the Sith for good. -”

Fulcrum quickly interrupted. “Or we can bring the man who Vader once was back to life. It is possible for a Vam’pyre turned Sith to come back to the Light. I have seen it happen. Obi-Wan made it happen and wrote down how to do so.”

Leia stood up, her face twisted in anger and hate. “Vader is not a good man! Whoever he once was doesn’t matter! He will stand trial for his crimes and for what he has done if he is not executed first!”

Luke flinched away from the waves of rage and hatred that flowed from his friends. They felt like hot iron barbs being thrown into his mind again and again. Without even realising it, Luke leaned away from Leia and into Chewie’s good arm. The Wookie seemed to understand what he was feeling and draped his arm around him.

“Calm yourself my friend!” Fulcrum’s voice was not harsh but it was frim and sharp. “You are doing your friend more harm than you think. Vader has done terrible things yes, but most whom are infected with the Vam’pyre do the same.”

Leia bared her teeth in frustration as she looked over at Luke but managed to slowly calm herself down slightly and sit back in her chair. “Nothing, absolutely nothing, can excuse what that monster did Fulcrum!” She hissed.

Fulcrum sighed and her shoulders drooped. “I know my friend. I know. But the man he once was…. Vader used to be a good man. One of the best. If we can get him to reject most of the Dark and get him back to his original mind frame, then we have a chance of him working with us to destroy the Emperor.”

Luke shared a look with his friends at that idea. If they did have Vader working for them, as distasteful and repulsive as the thought is, the Rebellion would have vital information and plans that could be the key to destroying the Empire for good. And if Vader was once a good person…

Luke was a cross road at that thought. On one hand, Vader killed Old Ben and was more than likely the reason as to why his Aunt and Uncle were dead. Not to mention he was behind the destruction of Alderaan and many different atrocities that have happened in the last twenty years since the fall of the Republic. 

On the other hand, if Vader had been controlled all these years by something beyond his control or something like that; then shouldn’t they be trying to free him? Vader could have valuable information and could be the edge they desperately need. And not to mention the fact that doing something while being controlled against your will is horrible and terrifying.

But…

Luke looked helplessly at his friends. He knew that he held a deep anger and resentment towards Vader as did the others but would the chance to bring down the Empire be worth putting aside their own justifiable rage and hurt?

He looked at Fulcrum and Captain, frown on his face. “Do you believe there is a chance that Vader will help us if we get him into his old state of mind?” He asked slowly. From what Fulcrum and Captain have said; they knew Vader before he became Vader. They would know if this man would be willing and able to fight the Emperor.

Captain took a step forward and looked directly into Luke’s eyes. “Vader was once one of the best man I ever trusted and knew. He was a strong Jedi Master who cared deeply for everyone he met and loved with the entirety of his heart. He cared for my brothers and I and did not care that we were all Clones. He called us all by our names and fought for Light and justice. The only reason why he would not fight the Emperor is if he is physically unable to get up off the damned floor and do so. Even then he will try and try again to get up off the floor and fight until his dying breath.”

Luke could feel Captain’s love and devotion to the man Vader once was, as could he feel the raw grief of betrayal. Captain spoke the truth. Luke looked over to Fulcrum and waited to see what she said.

Fulcrum gave a low sigh and gently thumbed the sides of her belt. “Vader was once my Master when he was a Jedi. He was a good man. A great man. I loved him dearly as a father and as a friend. Leaving him and the Republic was the hardest thing I had ever done.” She admitted, eyes down cast and sorrowful. “If we manage to get him back to the way he was; I know for certain that he would do anything to try and make up for all that he has done. He will spend the rest of his life doing what he can to redeem himself and he will always feel that nothing he has done or will do will ever make up for the wrong and pain he has caused.”

Everyone fell silent after those words. Leia still felt like a supernova of dull rage and pain and Han was distrustful of what was being said. Surprisingly, Chewie seemed to believe everything that was spoken and did seem to approve of the idea. He wondered if Chewie knew something that the rest of them didn’t.

Artoo was silent but Luke had a feeling that he would be needing to speak to his droid soon and ask some very direct questions to the little guy. Artoo has many secrets and the Force was nudging him to find them out.

After several minutes of silence, Luke finally spoke up. “If, and this is a big if, we agree to this idea, I want to know how we are going to be able to pull it off. I mean, it would be rather easy to pull Vader into a trap. All we have to do is put me on a poll and dangle me in front of him.” Luke stated without humour. It was true. Any rumour or slightest talk that Luke was in an area had Vader running towards there with a small army of Storm Troopers.

It was why he has to travel with Han and Chewie all the time, rather than just working as a X-Wing Pilot and doing raids with the guys. Too many times word got out that he was somewhere. Too many times places were destroyed by Vader and his men searching for him.

Fulcrum gave a quirk of her lips in amusement and gestured to the Data Chips once more. “These will give us the information on how to do it. That and the man who gave me these is searching now for a former Vam’pyre Sith that Obi-Wan brought back to the Light. Hopefully we will hear from him in the next month or so.”

“So, our plan relies on a bunch of Data Chips with probably out dated information and a guy who is apparently ‘brought back to the Light’?” Han asked sarcastically with his arms crossed. Luke gave him a glare but Fulcrum merely nodded and replied calmly.

“If I had not seen Obi-Wan bring this man into our camp and explain to us that he is safe and well I would be agreeing with you. But I watched Obi-Wan write those Data Chips and I have seen these Vam’pyre Sith’s in action. We are going to need all the help we can get my friends. Please, read through the Data Chips and think carefully. If you think there is too much of a risk to bring Vader back, then we will forget that idea and plan. We will use the information to kill Vader and the Emperor once and for all.” 

Fulcrum’s suggestion was reasonable. Reading these Data Chips will provide information that they may or may not find out if they needed and would give insight into what a Sith was. Or, in this case, what a Vam’pyre infected Sith was.

And not to mention they were written by Old Ben. Did he mention that he was desperate for any information about his old mentor? And if they are written by old Ben, there could be a chance that his father is mentioned in the writings too.

Luke looked at his friends and waited to see their thoughts. He was for at the very least reading the Data Chips and possibly talking to the former Sith. But he is still the backwater farmer from Tatooine and he did rely on his friends for their weariness and caution. Despite being from Tatooine, Luke always tried to believe in the best of people. Thankfully his friends were there to ensure he doesn’t get himself into trouble because of that.

Leia did not look happy and neither did Han for that matter. Chewie was silent and Artoo had wheeled himself over to a panel and was poking it with one of his many screws for what looked to be fun. After a few minutes of silence Leia spoke.

“I am not agreeing to any plans. I think that reading these Data Chips will be a good chance to receive information that we do not have and I am still a little confused still on what a Vam’pyre is.” She stated slowly. Luke silently marvelled at how diplomatic she sounded. When the Empire is defeated, Leia should definitely run for some type of leadership. She would do great no matter what she did.

Fulcrum nodded at Leia’s words and touched the Data Chips. “It is a little confusing to explain. Obi-Wan wrote it all down in a simple way though that makes it easy to understand. Read the Data Chips and I will explain everything the best I can. Captain and I will leave you here for now. There is a bunker with old ships and weapons that we wish to check and see if any are still operational. If they are, they will be an excellent addition to the Rebellion’s armoury.”

Fulcrum bowed, her head tails swayed slightly over her chest as she moved. “There is a Data reader and projector on the table. Artoo will tell you how to use them both since the technology is outdated. Comm us when you have read through the first one.”

With those last words, Fulcrum and Captain left, leaving the Data Chips and Captain’s helmet on the table.

Han stood and stretched himself out. “Well, what do we do now Princess? Do we read this crap?” He gestured to the Data Chips.

Leia sighed and stood herself. “I don’t think we have a choice here Han.” She walked passed Han and over to the Data Chips. “Even if this Vam’pyre thing turns out to be a dead end; the possibility of any information that can be used to destroy the Empire is critical. Whether we like it or not, we must read these chips and we must know what we are up against.”

Han nodded and crossed his arms. “Yeah, yeah. What about the supposed ‘reform’ Sith? What are we going to do about him?” He asked as he walked over towards Leia.

Luke smiled up at Chewie and wiggled out of his arm to join the other two. “Well, from what I read;” Luke spoke as he moved himself next to Han. “The Force is neither Dark or Light. It is how it is used that makes it… well… the way it is. If this guy says that he is now Light or no longer Dark, then he could be telling the truth.”

Leia and Han nodded at his words, accepting them but not really understanding what he means. Hell, half the time he barely understands what he means but there are times when Luke finds himself speaking as if he does know what the hell he talking about and guesses that it must be something to do with the Force. “So, wait and see?” Han asked with a frown.

“Wait and see.” Leia agreed.


	2. Obi-Wan Kenobi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke and the gang read through the report Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote about the first time he was attacked by a Vam'pyre.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so most of this chapter is what the original fic was going to be. I have never written a chapter that was this long before and I don't really know how it will read out. Editing was minimal so if there are mistakes please let me know.
> 
> This will be the last chapter I write for this fic. But please, tell me what you thought as I do want to reuse some of the ideas within here.

They set up the reader and projector with the help of Artoo. Han had taken to watching their contacts through the monitors while Chewie assisted Artoo with setting up the old tech. Leia watched over everyone, offering help when needed. Luke fiddled with some of the still working monitors, trying to get a feel of how big the base really was. It may end up being a good base for them, old tech or no.

Speaking of old tech, it took them a while but after ten or so minutes they had the Data reader connected to the projector and the Data Chips ready to read.

“Well, we better sit down then.” Leia gestured to the chairs they had been sitting on before. Luke was quick to sit back down as was Chewie. Han had to be poked and prodded to his seat, much to Luke’s amusement.

It hasn’t even been a year and Luke knew, he just knew, that those two would end up together. They would. Their bickering and insults to each other were always full of endearment. There had been very few actual fights between the two of them. Most of the time they just argue and bicker, like they were at that moment. It reminded him fondly of some of the old couples from the other farms not too far from his home on Tatooine. They would bicker day and night but their love for each other was as bright as the two suns.

“I can bloody well walk for myself Princess! You don’t need to push me damn it!” Han hissed as Leia pushed his shoulder again.

Leia gave a growl at the smuggler and slapped his arm. “Don’t call me Princess like that! You stupid, scruffy, space monkey, why were you watching them anyway?!” Leia’s voice was low with anger and annoyance, but thankfully, that anger was low and calm. Like it always was when she dealt with Han or some idiot in the Rebellion.

Luke wasn’t sure how he would deal if Leia became as angry as she was before when they were talking about Vader. The supernova of emotions that had poured off her… Luke did not know if he would ever be able to deal with something like that.

Maybe Fulcrum would be able to help him. Even just a little. Luke needed to know how to keep emotions like that out of his head. He remembered briefly what Vader felt like from a distance and could not help but shudder.

He could not imagine what would happen to him if he ever got close to Vader to feel him completely. But he knew that he would not be able deal with it unless he was trained to do so.

Luke shook away those thoughts and let his mind flow back to the present. Leia and Han were still arguing but were now sitting down next to each other while Chewie looked at them with a shake of his head. Luke could almost feel the envy flowing off the Wookiee.

Chewie was honestly jealous of Han for apparently attracting such a fierce mate. The Wookiee told Luke that he was always amazed at how easily Han managed to get Leia angry and bicker seamlessly with her. Luke did not understand Wookie courting and honestly would probably prefer not to really know any details but he knew that Chewie was probably the biggest supporter of Leia and Han possibly getting together.

Rolling his eyes, Luke waited until there was a small quiet moment between the bickering and quickly ordered Artoo to start the projection.

Words slowly flickered onto the wall before them and in silence the group read the information together.

-

25,032 GRY. Location: Jedi Temple Coruscant. Identification: Obi-Wan Kenobi. Status: Master.

This feels absolutely stupid to write but I have been ordered, by both the Council and my dear friend and somewhat personal Healer, Master Healer Bant Eerin to do this in a certain way. So here it goes.

My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am a Jedi Master of the Coruscant Temple and much to my disgust and annoyance; a soon to be appointed Council member. I am one of the few Jedi who has ever faced a Vam’pyre infected Sith on numerous occasions and have lived to tell the tale.

I have been asked by the Council to explain each attacks and encounters so that my experience can be of use to the Order and to anyone who may have to come face to face with these creatures.

The first time I faced a Vam’pyre infected Sith was when I was seventeen years old. I was four years into my apprenticeship and oh so ignorant of the universe around me still. I trusted with the fullness of my heart and always tried to see the best in everyone and everything.

How stupid I was back then. The Sith I faced when I was seventeen used my trust against me and nearly led me to the edge of death and Darkness within the space of one night.

The Sith that I had the unfortunate pleasure of facing was not some random sentient from a far off planet whom I did not know; but instead the Sith I fought was someone I had once held very dear to my heart, my former Master and friend; Qui-Gon Jinn.

The attack that occurred that night had been my first exposure to real Darkness and it did honestly leave a mark upon my psych, body and the way I could use and access the Force around me.

I have been attacked no less than three, ‘official’ times since that fateful day many years ago, and I have finally succumbed to both the Council’s and my dear friend Bant’s pleading and have allowed myself to be bullied into writing down each encounter.

The Council has given me ‘permission’ to write this all in third person, so I can distance myself a little from what happened. To this day I still have night terrors and chills from remembering those attacks and I do not think I would be able to stand writing all of this in first person.

I do not want to remember all of this. But Bant is right. The knowledge I have of these attacks can be used to help fight against the Sith and the war they have brought upon us. Not to mention, writing all of this down would give me a chance to explain what happened when I was attacked and how it has affected me.

Perhaps I can lay some ghosts to rest while doing so.

I just hope I can do this right and not loose myself while writing it all down.

I will begin by explaining the events that led up to the attack. I need to shed some light onto what really happened why before I go into the gory details.

I am really going to need a bottle of Corellian brandy after this. 

-

-

Mace Windu, head of the Coruscant Temple, signing on. Privacy channel three activated.

I have gone through this report and have retracted sensitive information. While I hope to keep anything that Kenobi has written private and for the Order’s eyes only, I know all too well that Chancellor Palpatine has many fingers in many pies. And that the Sith have been trying very hard to get into our data base. We have found three breaches this week and I want to be certain that nothing in here jeopardises anyone.

Some things are best left not being told to the public. With the right codes you can read this without hindrance. Without the codes, you will have to just read what I have edited for it.

If you are reading this and are a little confused on how the Kenobi changes how he describes things halfway through the report? According to Healer Eerin, when writing this Kenobi tranced out slightly. A coping mechanism due to the trauma he had faced. The trance allowed him to write out everything as if it was happening to him right then and there. The poor man collapsed straight after the trance due to exhaustion. I will not get him to rewrite any of this. Everyone will just have to read it as it is.

Oh, and I removed any and all conversations that Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi had during their time within the Healers Ward. Not only for their privacy, but for the safety of several members of our Order and several friends and Allies as well. Some of the things that were said in there are not for public ears.

The data chips that holds this document will be placed within the Holocrons vault and can only be accessed by a Council member. If you have not had the correct permission to read this, I will find you and by the Force you will be punished for your actions.

Mace Windu, signing off.

-

It all began shortly after he had turned sixteen years old. Around 25,012 GRY.

Jedi Master Tahl had been fatally wounded while on a mission with Master Qui-Gon Jinn and himself. There had been nothing that Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan could do to save their close and dear friend. They had done their best and while they did manage to get her back to the Temple, her injuries were too great and Tahl unfortunately passed into the Force. They had a pyre for her and for two days neither Master or Padawan spoke to each other. Both of them were drowned in the sudden grief and loss and did not know what to do or how to comfort one another.

The silence between the Master/ Padawan pair had been all consuming. The grief blackened their quarters and the light from the sun did not enter any of the room nor the hearts of the men who mourned silently for the woman they both cared for. Tahl had loved both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as a lover and mother respectively and neither man could stand her loss.

On the eve of the second night, Qui-Gon had left the Temple in a righteous fury to go and search out for Tahl’s murderer to kill the man himself. It was only quick intervention from Master Windu, Bant, Yoda and Obi-Wan that stopped the tall Master from not only Falling to the Darkside but from killing Tahl’s murderer in anger. When Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan finally returned to their rooms in the Temple after the journey home, the silence once again fell over the two of them.

It was a deep and overbearing silence that would last for three months.

Obi-Wan remembered how dark and oppressive their quarters had been in that time. There was no joy, no laughter, no companionship to be found in the cold rooms that they called home. Qui-Gon had all but stopped talking except for times when an answer was absolutely necessary. Neither Master nor Padawan had been allowed on any type of mission in that time either, as the Council seemed to believe that neither man was stable enough to do the work that was needed.

And Obi-Wan was in no position to argue with them on that.

Obi-Wan himself had spent his time being busy with classwork he was behind in as well as working on keeping their rooms clean and liveable; so there was very little attempt from him to reach out and talk to his silent Master. Not to mention when he did reach out to the older man, there was a seventy percent chance he would be ignore or yelled at.

He regretted deeply that he never tried harder to speak with his Master though. If only he had pushed and tired, perhaps none of this wouldn’t have happened.

It had been sometime after the first month that Obi-Wan finally spoke up and suggested that Qui-Gon reach out and talk to someone. Like the Temple Mind or Soul Healers. Or anyone really. Obi-Wan quietly broached the topic at dinner one night after spending a week gaining the courage to do so. He himself had been seeing one at the insistence of Bant and it had done wonders for him. The Mind Healer he had been seeing had talked him through his grief and pain and Obi-Wan felt like he was getting better and better every time he saw her. Obi-Wan had hoped that his Master would go see one too so that the older man could finally get better again.

Of course, his Master rejected the thought with a huff and all but threw his plate at the table. Such outbursts had become the norm with them and he had not even so much as flinched.

Instead, Obi-Wan made the biggest mistake of his life and suggest that Qui-Gon seek out his old Master and talk to him. He had heard from Qui-Gon himself that Master Jard Dooku had left the Order shortly after Qui-Gon had taken Xanatos as a Padawan do to personal reasons and that he lived as a Count on his home planet, Serenno.

Obi-Wan had hoped that an outside voice that knew Qui-Gon and that could help him understand and process his grief rather than tell him that he should meditate and release his feeling into the Force. He had hoped that Jard Dooku would be someone who would help Qui-Gon.

He had been wrong.

Well, not completely wrong.

Qui-Gon had taken well to speaking to his former Master. Obi-Wan noticed that Qui-Gon seemed…lighter after talking to Dooku. There were only a few times that Qui-Gon had ever looked concerned or unhappy after those long private talks. At the time, he had thought those uncomfortable emotions he had seen and felt from his Master were just the after effects of Qui-Gon talking about Tahl and what had happened the night of her murder. But those few times only happened every now and then. Though, they were more frequent towards the end of the three months.

Even though the three months of silence were hard on the both of them, Obi-Wan knew and felt that their Master-Padawan Bond was as strong as ever. Even with both of them blocking each other out at nights and them not speaking as much as they should have been. Their Bond had still been one of the strongest in the Temple.

(And to this day it still was. Though it has been fully blocked by several Mind Healers. It gives me a hell of a headache when it is touched or prodded, something that happens often as the damned bastard of a Sith does not know what the meaning of no is anymore.)

Which was why, when at the end of the three months when Qui-Gon said that he was leaving the Order for good, the pain Obi-Wan felt at the thought of being rejected and left alone that moved from Obi-Wan’s side of the Bond into Qui-Gon’s had them both crippled for the rest of the week in the Healers Ward.

It seemed that the idea of being rejected and forced away from his Master was still a very triggering subject in his mind. The poor self-esteem that he had thought was a thing of the past seemed to be very much present there within his mind. Obi-Wan guessed that he would be having more talks with his Soul Healer because of that little lapses of emotional stress. How joyful.

In that week that they were stuck in the private room in the Healer’s Ward, Qui-Gon talked to Obi-Wan for the first time as an equal as he explained his reasons for wanting to leave. The tears in his soon to be former Master’s eyes had shocked Obi-Wan and the explanations that Qui-Gon gave made his heart break.

-

(I found an audio record from the Healer’s Ward of the day that we spoke. I have written a transcript of it as well as added some of the things I remember; like how his face looked as he spoke and how I felt. I think it would be informative to everyone to get a full picture of why Qui-Gon Jinn left the Order and… and everything that went with it. The rumours that have been going around need to be shown as not true. And perhaps showing that even the Sith used to be like the rest of us may help alleviate fears that they are unfeeling monsters before they Turned. Maybe this will help with the stigma and help those who have been attacked like I was. I don’t know. Perhaps I just want to show that Qui-Gon Jinn was once a good man.)

-

“I cannot do this anymore Obi-Wan. It’s killing me.” Qui-Gon’s voice was thick as he sat on the edge of the bed. His arms were resting on his knees and he looked like he just wanted to put his head in his hands and cry. It was a worrying new look on his Master but it was also one that had been constant in the time they had been in the Healer’s Ward. “I never should have become a Knight.” The long thick brown locks swished across Qui-Gon’s face as he shook his head. Obi-Wan noticed almost absently that they seemed to hold more slivered grey strands than before.

“Don’t say that Master!” Obi-Wan cried, almost at the edge of his own bed. “You are a wonderful Knight and Master! You are one of the best Jedi Knight’s the Order has ever seen!” Obi-Wan was not exaggerating or just saying that to sooth Qui-Gon’s ego. It was the truth. Qui-Gon really was one of the best Masters there was in the whole Jedi Order. If he had chosen so, Qui-Gon could have easily have been the head of the Order years ago.

Qui-Gon sighed and shook his head. “But at what cost my young friend?” The look of defeat on Qui-Gon’s face made Obi-Wan want to cry out in anger and horror. Qui-Gon has never looked so…so… so weak. So small and so unlike himself. There was an almost crushing feeling from within his chest as he watched the man who always seemed to be so strong, so tough and unbreakable just crumble before his eyes. Obi-Wan did not know what to say so he listened to Qui-Gon’s words.

“You know how strongly I feel the Living Force, don’t you my Padawan? I feel it always and I am very much in tune to all of my surroundings and to the people near me…” Obi-Wan knew this. According to Master Yoda, Qui-Gon was the strongest Living Force user in the last three centuries. No one else came close to the kind of strength his Master had. “Padawan… Can you imagine feeling every single person’s pain wherever you went? Can you imagine feeling the soil and ground cry out from the pollution that smothers it? I can feel it Obi-Wan. It’s all I can ever feel. All the time and on every planet we go to.”

The soft words made Obi-Wan flinch because he knew exactly what his Master was referring to. Over the last three years they had been together, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had been to war zone after war zone and to planets that were almost as bad as Coruscant when it came to planet pollution. And he knew that his Master felt very close to nature and was always aware of people’s emotions. It was what made him one of the best Jedi Masters in the field.

But it also made the Jedi Master ill at times. Obi-Wan had lost count of the times Qui-Gon had fallen sick or had been nearly overwhelmed by emotions of the people around him. The worst times were when there was a mob or when they were on Coruscant.

The Living Force was a great and wonderful thing to be a part of. Those who are closest to it often end up in the AgriCorps because they cannot shield their minds from feeling everything around them. How his Master could do it all the time was a wonder in itself. None of their missions were ever easy. Nor exactly Living Force friendly.

Qui-Gon must have sensed his train of thought because he gave Obi-Wan a small but slightly bitter smile. “I had originally planned on going to the AgriCorps as a boy before Jard approached me when I was eleven. He taught me how to shield myself fully and when I was thirteen and could shield my mind to an extent that pleased him; he took me as a Padawan. For a good long while I have been able to use my shields and do my work without getting overwhelmed.” Qui-Gon paused and sighed. Obi-Wan quickly filled in the gaps. 

“But they have stopped working right? I am guessing it has something to do with Xanatos?” He half asked, half stated. A great deal of things that were either wrong or have affected his training could be traced back to the still missing Dark Jedi.

Qui-Gon nodded and once again, the defeated look was on his face, making him look aged and weary. “When our Bond broke a few months after he Fell, my own mind nearly shattered. It took Yoda and Jard many months to get me back to normal. I couldn’t stand the idea of Bonding again. My mind and my shields had to be remade and the thought of putting a Padawan through that pain…” A faint green tinge briefly touched Qui-Gon’s face. “I couldn’t do it. I almost couldn’t Bond with you remember?”

Obi-Wan did. They had needed Master Yoda and several Mind Healers to guide them through the Bonding and it had taken them weeks to learn how to shield each other’s minds out. Which had been an embarrassing time because he had been thirteen and a thirteen-year old’s mind was not the cleanest. And nor was Qui-Gon’s fully adult mind either for that matter. Both of them learnt a good deal about each other that they both would have rather not ever knowing.

“So your shields are failing again?” Obi-wan spoke hesitantly. He did not want to sound rude or blunt.

“They are.” Qui-Gon confirmed, a bitter smile once again on his face. “And nothing I am doing is fixing it…I need to get out of this life Obi-Wan. Before it kills me from the inside out.” His master took a deep breath and slid off the bed, his feet making a small muted thud as they touched the floor. He said nothing as Qui-Gon walked over to his bed and sat down next to him.

“I cannot live this life anymore Obi-Wan. Not with how my shields are and to be honest…” He took a deep breath and look at Obi-Wan’s face. “I think it is best for me to leave. I need to put my health first. And yours as well.”

“My health is fine Master!” He could not help but interrupt. “I am healthy as I can be!” He wanted to say more but Qui-Gon was already shaking his head.

“My attitudes and actions have hurt you my dearest Padawan. I have pushed you away, forced you to work harder and harder then what was safe for you. I have hurt you. And you know I have. I have hurt you and it is because I have never sought to fix what was wrong with my own mind. And for that I am sorry.” Qui-Gon’s large warm hand gently cupped Obi-Wan’s cheek. “You have stood by me and have showed me nothing but devotion and love. I will always cherish that. And I will always cherish you Obi-Wan. Always.”

Obi-Wan could not stop the tears that welled up in his eyes when his Master admitted that he cared for him, that he cherished him. Qui-Gon had never said anything like that before and while Obi-Wan knew that his Master cared about him, to hear him say it out loud… “Master…”

“Hush Padawan.” He was drawn into a hug by Qui-Gon as his tears began to spill over onto his cheeks. “I know this is going to be hard but it is the right thing to do by both of us. You will become a fantastic Knight Obi-Wan. Hell, you may even work your way up to being on the Council. You will do great things with your life.” Was whispered into his ear as he held tightly onto the older man.

It took a few moments but Obi-Wan pulled back with a sniff and bleary eyes that could barely see. “But who will train me Master? I… I can’t become any of that without a Master…. And what about you? Where are you going to go?”

Qui-Gon gave Obi-Wan his first real warm smile in over three months. “I am going to be living with Jard for a while. He has offered me his home while I… get my head together.” Qui-Gon explained as he carefully moved Obi-Wan into a more comfortable position on his lap. “He is also making me see a Mind Healer, one outside of the Order. He thinks that will do me some good. And as for you.” A playful look appeared on Qui-Gon’s face. “Well, I am going to hand you off to Master Yoda. I think he is the only Jedi who can take your sarcasm if I am to be honest.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes bulged. Yoda? He would be the Padawan to the GrandMaster of the Order. Qui-Gon gave a rumbling chuckle at Obi-Wan’s look. “Yoda was the one who offered when I explained what I wanted to do. He will talk to you later when we leave this dreadful place.”

Obi-Wan could not help but laugh with his soon to be former Master; but he found himself sobering up very quickly. “You will stay in contact right?” He whispered softly, his head bowed in sadness as the reality of what was to happen washed over him.

“Yes Obi-Wan. I will.” Was the softer reply that breathed against his head as he was once again pulled into an embrace. “I will always be in contact with my friends.”

-

(There is more that was said but it is highly private to myself and contains information about myself and others that does not need to be released. I do not want to have it written or spoken. Bant, when you read this I want you to please destroy that audio recording. Some things are best left forgotten in time.)

-

After the week in the Healers Ward, Qui-Gon had packed his bags and prepared to leave the Temple for good. Qui-Gon spent nearly another two weeks assisting Yoda and Obi-Wan beginning a fragile Bond together. The soon to be former Jedi Master’s Bond with his soon to be former Padawan was still strong within both of their minds, but with the help of several crafty Healers, the Bond was placed behind a shield that would lessen the affects between them.

When the time came for Qui-Gon to board the transport, Obi-Wan had bawled his eyes out on the older man’s chest; not wanting him to go. There was many heart felt words between them both before Qui-Gon pulled away with a small sorrowful smile walked away. It would be the last smile Obi-Wan would see from the man in person for over a year.

Qui-Gon had kept his promise to Obi-Wan and to those in the Temple he was close to. He had stayed in contact, both messaging and holo-taping messages to Obi-Wan for the next year. Most messages were simple and happy while others were extremely emotional and were for Obi-Wan’s eyes only.

Shortly after he had turned seventeen, nearly a year into his apprenticeship with Yoda, Obi-Wan had received an invitation to Serenno to go to Count Dooku’s home and spend some time with Qui-Gon. According to the letter that had come with the invitation, (that was written on very fancy and honest to the Force real paper) Qui-Gon was doing well and wanted to see how Obi-Wan had been doing as well as speak to him face to face.

It had only taken one night of badgering for Yoda to agree to letting him take a month off his studies to go to Serenno and spend the time with Qui-Gon. His own Bond with Yoda may not be as strong as Qui-Gon’s and his own still was, but the Bond was strong enough that Obi-Wan could go to another planet for an extended period of time without it breaking.

Which was a good thing considering the fact that Obi-Wan spent a lot of time out in the field with new and old Knights who were without partners. Master Yoda did not often leave the Temple unless it was absolutely necessary and Obi-Wan’s teaching had nearly suffered for it. Thankfully there was always Knights and Masters who were willing to work with him. His favourite partner by far was most definitely Quinlann Vos. No other Knight was willing to go through with Obi-Wan’s crazy plans without complaint.

Within three days of getting the invitation, Obi-Wan was off to Serenno with his heart beating excitedly in his chest. He was finally able to go and see Qui-Gon. It had been a long year and while Qui-Gon had been in contact regularly, Obi-Wan had not seen his former Master in person in all that time. And holo messages really didn’t count as seeing someone.

By the Force, he missed Qui-Gon. Missed him deeply. Master Yoda was a good Master to him but the small green Master was always busy with Council business or with the Crèche. And Obi-Wan rarely had the full devotion of teaching that he had with Qui-Gon. He rather missed it if he was honest.

Not to mention the fact he missed Qui-Gon as a person. He missed their debates at the dinner table were neither of them agreed or backed down on their opinions. He missed the way Qui-Gon would talk about plants and trees and how the Force flows around them. He missed the companionship he had with Qui-Gon.

He missed him dearly.

But still, he was very much excited to see his former Master and to meet his former GrandMaster/new Padawan Brother. Count Jard Dooku was a highly recognised and admired Master who had left the Order years ago. Apparently he disagreed about many things with the Council and had decided that it would be best to go back to his family home and do charity and good will work from there.

It only took a day to get to Serenno from Coruscant and Obi-Wan had been more or less bouncing in his seat while waiting until the ‘Okay’ was given for him to disembark with the other passengers. The spaceport was large, industrial and busy but he could see out the large glass walls that there was trees and green lands just outside the door. Obi-Wan had to admit that he had been disappointed when Qui-Gon himself had not been there to greet him but the butler droid holding a sign with his name did make him giggle a little. It was almost reminiscent to all the times he had been on mission on richer planets where they have the droids greet the Jedi and bring them to the ruler’s house.

Which was what the droid did. It took over four hours to get to the large castle that was all but hidden in the woodland area but it was worth the wait. As the bright red sun slowly fell and dusk rose and lit the sky with strokes of orange, pink, purple and blue; the great doors to the castle open.

And there stood his former Master Qui-Gon Jinn; large hands on his hips and a bright smile that Obi-Wan as only seen a handful of times on his face.

Obi-Wan did not wait for the speeder to stop. He wasted no time in jumping out of the speeder and running to Qui-Gon; throwing down his travel bag as his went. He threw himself into Qui-Gon’s laughing and waiting arms as he all but screeched with laughing joy.

“Qui-Gon!” He cried, burring his face into Qui-Gon’s chest. He held tightly onto his former Master, bouncing on his toes to stay up in the taller man’s arms.

“Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan! Calm down!” Qui-Gon ordered with a laugh, pulling away from Obi-Wan slightly so he could smile down at him. Obi-Wan had to marvel at how healthy and well Qui-Gon looked. He had never noticed it before but Qui-Gon must have been nearly underweight before he left the Temple. He now stood before Obi-Wan fitter and healthier than he had ever see the man.

“Sorry! Sorry, sorry!” Obi-Wan grinned as he pulled away from Qui-Gon. “Just got a little too excited to see you.” He rubbed the back of his neck and absently noticed that Qui-Gon’s eyes followed his hand.

“Don’t worry Pad- Obi-Wan.” Qui-Gon seemed to stop himself from calling Obi-Wan Padawan. It made Obi-Wan’s heart clench that he wouldn’t say it. He missed that deep voice calling him that word affectionately. “I am excited too you know.” Qui-Gon smiled softly down at him and gently pulled on his now longer braid. He was interrupted before he could continue speaking by the butler droid.

“Masters bags?” The flat voice of the droid drew Obi-Wan’s attention away from Qui-Gon for a moment and he could not help but blush a little when the small droid picked up his travel bag and handed it to him. He heard his former Master’s snort of amusement but payed no attention to him, instead he just thanked the droid and shouldered his bags before turning back to Qui-Gon, who was quite playfully smirking at him.

“Oh shut up you.” He playfully shoved the bigger man, not even surprised when Qui-Gon didn’t move. It normally takes Obi-Wan using the Force to back him up to even make the taller man budge. “Come on. I want to shower and be decent before I talk to you or anyone else.”

Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and threw a companionable arm around Obi-Wan’s shoulders and neck. “Yes, yes my young lord. Right this way.” The bigger man joked, making Ob-Wan laugh.

They walked together in comfortable silence as Obi-Wan marvelled at the grand castle and the interior designs. There were so many paintings and sculptures along the walls and the floors looked polished enough to see his refection in. And the carpeted rugs were so soft that you could feel your feet just sinking in them. The lighting on the high ceiling was bright enough to light your way but dimmed enough that you could look at them without being blinded. It was truly a wonderful place to see.

After a slightly longer than normal trip up a grand staircase, Qui-Gon led Obi-Wan to a large room up on the third floor that had its own bathroom and a very large bed that even a Wookie could sleep comfortably and still have room to move about. It was a little overwhelming to take in.

“Have a shower and change Obi-Wan.” Qui-Gon smiled softly down at him. He placed his large hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “Take your time. Dinner will be waiting for you on the second floor. You saw the dining room yes?” Obi-Wan nodded in confirmation. He had seen it. It was huge. Like everything else in this castle. “Meet me there when you are done and feel a little more human” The little joke made Obi-Wan laugh and he pulled Qui-Gon into another hug.

“I have really missed you Master.” He mumbled into Qui-Gon’s chest. Qui-Gon’s arms wrapped around him and held him tight and for several minutes neither of them moved. They just enjoyed being near the others Force signature once more.

It did not matter how many messages or many times they spoke to each viva Comm, nothing could substitute being near his dearest friend and father figure. The calming feel of Qui-Gon’s Force presence along with the earthy and spice smell that belonged to the older man was something he had dearly missed being around. And he was not ashamed to admit it.

“I know Obi-Wan. I know.” He felt a kiss being laid on the top of his head. “I have missed you too.” Qui-Gon pulled away and playfully yanked his braid gently. “Go and shower. I will re-braid this when you are dressed.”

Obi-Wan smiled and nodded, not at all minding the slight pain the yank brought. He watched as Qui-Gon left the room before letting out a slow sigh. He really had missed the other man. He placed his bags down on the bed and walked over to the grand bathroom with its free standing bath and shower that could fit three grown adults with ease, and wondered briefly if anything in the castle was simple or small. Shaking his head, Obi-Wan quickly showered and dressed in fresh clothes before making his way down to the second floor dining room.

On the way down the stairs, Obi-Wan took the time to undo his braid. While he may now be Yoda’s Padawan and he should only technically let Yoda re-braid his hair, Obi-Wan was looking forward to having Qui-Gon doing this again. It had been something they did every three days when the braid would get tangled or mattered do to activities or constant showers. Qui-Gon would always tut and sit him down at the table and braid his hair while either quoting the Code or if he was annoyed at the Council, Qui-Gon would sing a poem or song to him.

He loved those little moments. And he missed them so, so much.

As soon as he hit the second floor, Obi-Wan’s senses were overwhelmed with the wonderful scent of hot food. His mouth watered as he approached the large grand room and was very silently thankful to see that was only two plates on the table rather than a spread of food. Well, they were large plates but given Obi-Wan’s normal hunger, he was more than happy to eat everything he was given and then some.

Sitting by one of the plates, was Qui-Gon who gave Obi-Wan a cheerful smile and gestured to the plate next to him. Qui-Gon had not changed his comfortable looking clothes though his hair was placed in a tail at his neck now rather than his normal style. “Put you beads down, we will deal with your hair after we feed that bottomless pit of yours.” Obi-Wan grinned and did as he was told, not at all angry or annoyed at the quip. He knows he has a bottomless pit of a stomach. It had caused him a lot of trouble in the last few years if he was to be honest.

The two of them ate in mostly silence, both of them enjoying the rich, fresh taste of the somewhat raw (in Obi-Wan’s opinion) stakes and the wonderful taste of the freshly steamed vegetables. The wine he had been given was a very dark red and went well with the pepper of his stake but it was a different sort of wine to Qui-Gon’s. When he asked about it Qui-Gon merely said that he had found himself allergic to the berries used in Obi-Wan’s wine and had found himself a substitute that did not make his face swell up. Qui-Gon also stated that he had not wanted Obi-Wan to not experience the very famous and well known wine just because he could not have it.

Once the food was finished, several servants appeared and took their dishes away. Having not sensed them at all, Obi-Wan had all but grabbed the steak knife to either attack or defend himself and Qui-Gon. It was only Qui-Gon’s hand on his arms that stopped him in his tracks. Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon in complete and utter confusion as he watched the last of the hooded figures leave.

“I felt the same too when I first saw them.” Qui-Gon smiled reassuringly, taking the knife out of Obi-Wan’s hand and handing it to one of the servants. “They are all Force Nulls. They give off no Force presence what so ever and cannot be swayed by the Force.”

Obi-Wan blinked in surprise. He had never heard of a Force Null before but he could definitely see why someone would want them as a servant. Especially if you were a strong Force user. Not only would they not be swayed by other Force users or possible enemies you had, their presence would not overwhelm you because it was not there.

Force only knows how terrible it was to when you were surrounded by too many Force users. You eventually get used to it in the Temple; but by the Force it could be overwhelming and overbearing at times.

“Shall we fix your hair now Obi-Wan?” Qui-Gon asked quietly, drawing Obi-Wan’s attention back to him. Blinking, Obi-Wan nodded quickly and turned in his chair so he was fully facing Qui-Gon.

Grabbing the first bead and dividing the strand of hair into three, Qui-Gon began to sing softly as he platted the red hair in his hand. Obi-Wan closed his eyes and allowed the deep voice flow over him. He did not understand the words but the way that they were sung made his heart feel light and joyous. He was very sorry and disappointed when the singing stopped and his the now platted braid was let go of.

Opening his eyes, Obi-Wan could not help but smile up at Qui-Gon. He felt so calm and relaxed just sitting there in the big room with his former Master by his side. “There. All done.” Qui-Gon murmured before standing and offering his hand to Obi-Wan. He grabbed the hand and used it to pull himself up, marvelling silently at how small his hand was in Qui-Gon’s.

“Come on, let’s go to a smaller room and catch up.” Qui-Gon suggested. “There is a lovely little green house on the other side of the house. It has the most wonderful night flowers.”

Obi-Wan nodded at the suggestion and noted that it was very much in Qui-Gon’s character to suggest a greenhouse or forested area. The older man was always immersed in the Living Force and being around trees and flowers was always a joy of Qui-Gon’s. And a joy to Obi-Wan as well, though not as much as the bigger man’s.

Whenever the flowers and trees were happy and content, the Force would flow around them like a warm river of life and power. It was a truly spectacularly experience to feel. And it was no wonder why Qui-Gon would always enjoy immersing himself in it.

Together with his former Master by his side, Obi-Wan walked to the ground floor green house that really was on the other side of the castle. If he wasn’t as fit as he was, Obi-Wan would have been struggling to walk such a distance after such a large dinner. But the reward when they did reach the green house was worth the very long and somewhat silent walk.

The roof was massive and covered in glass. It was well into the night now and the stars could be seen through the panels above. There was only a small path to walk on but there was so many plants and trees, Obi-Wan was hard pressed to even name most of them. Along the path there was several large stone benches that seemed to be almost covered in plants themselves.

Obi-Wan marvelled at the beauty before him as Qui-Gon quietly pointed out each plant and explained where they were from to Obi-Wan. The warm humid air of the green house was not stifling or overbearing but it did make the two men take off their outer coats and leave them on one of the benches.

As they walked together side by side, Obi-Wan talked about what was new in his life in the Temple with Master Yoda. He talked about his course work, his ‘Saber training, his very unfortunate crush on Quinlann Vos and all of the other things that crossed his mind. Qui-Gon listened and was content with offering advice to Obi-Wan and enjoyed the chance to tease Obi-Wan on his crush. The conversation was light and simple, neither of them felt the need to weigh down the calm atmosphere around them.

Near the end of the green house was a large gazebo with several stone chairs under it. There was also a glass table within the middle of the area. Obi-Wan made his way there with Qui-Gon at his side, feeling more light then he has felt in a very long time. It was nice, being here in the moonlit green house with his former Master and friend next to him.

Everything felt calm and warm. He felt safe here, like nothing could touch or hurt him. His lightsaber was in the large room with the rest of his belongings and he had not need for the pocket knives either.

It was the first time in a long time that Obi-Wan could admit that he was safe enough to be completely unarmed.

As they sat close together on the stone chair, Qui-Gon began to tell Obi-Wan about his travels, the ones that he did not speak about over Comm or messages.

“I was far out in the Outer Rim when I met Hugo.” Qui-Gon said, rubbing his bearded chin as he spoke. “Not too far away from the Unknown Sectors of Wild Space. He had been in the pub that I was in and when he had seen that I was struggling with the unknown local language and was all about to start a blood feud with a local. Hugo stepped in and gave me a hand before it came to that.” Obi-Wan listened closely to Qui-Gon’s words, wanting to know about the adventure his former Master had been on but felt that he could not tell over the Comm.

“We sat and talked about a great deal of things together.” Qui-Gon continued. “He was charming and knew a great deal about both the Republic and the Unknown Sectors. The tales he told were grand and were highly engaging.”

“Sounds like you have a crush on him Master.” Obi-Wan could not help but tease. It was not a rare thing for Qui-Gon to go somewhere and make a new friend. What was odd was how Qui-Gon talked about this new friend of his. It was almost…earnest and eager. 

“Hugo was, and still is, a very interesting man.” Qui-Gon smiled, not at all minding the teasing. “He is a Muun and travels mostly out in the Unknown Sectors. He is an incredibly powerful Force sensitive Obi-Wan. And his views on the Force are amazing.” For some reason the way Qui-Gon continued to speak about this Hugo made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and the Unifying Force was pricking at the side of his temple. Something was not right. But what?

“You see Obi-Wan.” Qui-Moved slightly closer and Obi-Wan had to force his body to hold still and not move away. It was Qui-Gon’s Force signature. That was the thing that wasn’t right. Something about it was… off. It was not a soothing or as warm as it was not a minute before. “He showed me that the Force was not just Light or Dark. There are other things that move with the Force. Things that are not limited by the views of Black and White like we have been taught.”

There was a look in Qui-Gon’s eyes that was scaring him. He had never seen Qui-Gon look so… so… By the Force he reminded Obi-Wan of a frantic cultist trying to explain why his Gods demand a person be sacrificed to someone outside of the cult.

“Qui-Gon?” Obi-Wan swallowed and shifted back slightly, the stone chair under him felt like ice. “Are you alright? You feel a little… off.” Obi-Wan spoke carefully and softly. Something was wrong with his former Master. He could feel it. And whatever that thing was it was growing bigger every second.

Obi-Wan needed to get away from here and call Master Yoda. His Master would know what to do.

“I am fine Obi-Wan, my littlest Apprentice.” Qui-Gon smiled at him and even that looked wrong. The teeth he could see shining from Qui-Gon mouth looked sharper and whiter than normal in the low light of the green house and the off feeling he was getting from Qui-Gon was becoming stronger.

“Qui-Gon…I am feeling a little tired from my trip here and from dinner.” Obi-Wan stood slowly, not wanting to make any sudden movements. Something was terribly wrong with his dear friend and he was honestly afraid to find out what.

Of all time for him to go unarmed, why did it have to be now? He may not want to hurt the older man but it would very comforting to have something in his hands right now.

“I think I may go lie down for a bit if that is alright with you?” He took a very careful step away from the stone chair and swallowed hard. He attempted to give Qui-Gon an innocent and tired look but he was not sure if it worked or not.

Qui-Gon just gave him a small closed mouth smile and within a flash quicker than what Obi-Wan could follow, Qui-Gon’s arm reached out and grabbed onto the front of his shirt. Before Obi-Wan could register what Qui-Gon was doing, he was yanked hard into Qui-Gon’s chest. He let out a startled yelp and tried to pull away, only to be forced to sit down on the stone chair where he had been before.

“Easy Obi-Wan.” Qui-Gon all but loomed over him, the tall man’s large hands gripped his arms tightly and made him cry out in pain. “All is well. You just need to calm down.” The not so subtle Force Suggestion was stronger than anything Obi-Wan had ever felt. He could do nothing but obey what Qui-Gon ordered him to do.

His whole body relaxed against the chair and even though he feared deeply at what was happening to him and to Qui-Gon, he could not physically move his body away from its relaxed state. Nor could he reach out to the Force. Something was blocking it and he believed that something may just be Qui-Gon. But Qui-Gon would never… He would never cut him from the Force. He was Qui-Gon. He wouldn’t…

“Easy my little Apprentice.” Qui-Gon reached out and gently cupped his slack face. “There is no need to leave or be scared. Everything is well.” Everything is well. That phrase was repeated again and again along with the calm down in his head. He was helpless to stop either commands taking over his body. Qui-Gon was careful when lifting his now limp, ragdoll like body up onto his lap; forcing him to sit across Qui-Gon’s Knees like a child.

The small tail at the back of his head was gently pulled and the hair that was tied up was released from its band. Obi-Wan swallowed hard as he tried to fight both of the Force Commands that ruled his body and the overwhelming feeling that something very bad was about to happen.

Whatever that something that was about to happen was, Obi-Wan knew deep down in the pit of his stomach that it would bring about a change that the universe would not be prepared for.

“I know you are scared Obi-Wan, I was scared at first too.” Qui-Gon spoke in a tone that reminded Obi-Wan of all the times he was sick and Qui-Gon had been there to sooth his aches and pains. “But Hugo and Jard opened my eyes and soul to the true Force. We have been living a lie all of our lives my little Apprentice.” Qui-Gon’s finger tips caressed ever so softly against the top of Obi-Wan’s head and oh Force, it was exactly like the times when he was sick. This wasn’t right. Nothing here was right.

He cannot let this go on. Obi-Wan simply could not. Something was wrong with Qui-Gon and he needed help. Obi-Wan needed help. Now.

Gathering all of his mental strength, Obi-Wan drew as much of the Force as he could grasp before he let out the largest and loudest mind scream down his Bond with Master Yoda that he could.

/MASTER HELP ME! -/ The cry was cut off quite quickly by Qui-Gon who’s face had gone from an almost sickening caring and gentle look to a thunderous expression Obi-Wan has only ever seen a few times in the short time that they had been together.

“You should not have done that little one.” Qui-Gon’s voice was a low growl. Obi-Wan swallowed in fear and stared up at Qui-Gon, not knowing what to do now. He knows that Yoda will get his cry, hell, half the Order will get his cry. Obi-Wan was not known as the loudest broadcaster in the Temple for nothing after all. But it is still a day’s trip from Coruscant to here not to mention a four-hour trip just to get to the castle they were in.

He needed to act. And fast.

But before he could do anything the hand had been gently moving through the back of his hair tightened around the loose hair at the back of his head and with a hard yank his head was forced back painfully, causing Obi-Wan to let out a low cry of pain.

“You should not have called for him My Little Obi-Wan.” Qui-Gon breath brushed against his chin and cheek. He could smell an almost rotting smell on the older man’s breath making him want to gag immediately. Qui-Gon always cared about dental hygiene and his breath has never been this bad, not even on their roughest missions did it ever smell like…

His thoughts were interrupted by Qui-Gon’s quiet, almost growling, voice once again. “I wanted us to have more time here on Serenno. There would have been less questions and more time for you to adapt here.” Qui-Gon sighed and Obi-Wan could feel the former Jedi’s hair tickle shirt he wore and his now forcibly expose neck. “I wanted to gently expose you to the wonders that I had found. But it looks like I will have to do this the hard way…”

“Master wait please-!” Obi-Wan tried to protest whatever the hell was about to happen but his words were cut off as the man who was once his Master horrifyingly bent his head down fully to his expose neck and bit down hard onto the soft skin.

Obi-Wan cried out in pain and fear. The Force Suggestions that kept his body limp was now weak enough for him to violently struggle against Qui-Gon’s larger and stronger body. His former Master was not just biting him, Obi-Wan realised dimly, Qui-Gon was sucking at the wound in a way that reminded Obi-Wan way too much of when he had fooled around with his friends and fellow Padawan’s.

But unlike those times, Obi-Wan was not enjoying himself nor was he feeling even the slightest bit aroused. He was terrified and trapped by the massive arms that wrapped themselves around his body like vines around a tree. Qui-Gon’s teeth were deep within the skin of his neck and it was so very painful to breath around.

He wanted this to stop. He wanted the pain to go away and for Qui-Gon to stop acting so crazy. Someone please make it stop!

Obi-Wan managed a sob as he shook in Qui-Gon’s arms. After five minutes of violent struggles, Obi-Wan realised that all he had down was opened the wound more and worn himself out. Qui-Gon was not going to stop, he realised. There was nothing he could do.

Obi-Wan squeezed eyes shut and tried to block it all out and to force his mind to shut down. If he was to die here, then fine; he will die. But Obi-Wan did not want his last memory of this life to be of his former Master and friend killing him by tearing out his throat with those unnaturally sharpened teeth.

Using a technique all Padawans and Knights are taught, Obi-Wan Kenobi attempted to allow himself to sink deeper into his own mind and away from the horror or what was happening to him. He tried to sink into the memories of what happened earlier during the day and kept his mind self away from the green house.

Everything was alright. Everything is fine. There is no pain. There is no fear. There is nothing wrong. He kept repeating those words over and over again as the obscene slurping reached his ears.

Qui-Gon was not hurting him. Was not tearing his throat apart like a rabid dog. He wasn’t. He wasn’t.

Obi-Wan sobbed unconsciously as his mind attempted and failed to protect itself. The longer Qui-Gon’s mouth was sealed over his throat, the harder it was becoming for Obi-Wan to push away Qui-Gon’s overwhelming Force Signature. It was as if the older man was smothering him with his body and overbearing Force Presence. 

It felt like a poisonous oil, Qui-Gon’s Presence. Smothering, slick and sticking to all it touched and leaving a horrid taint in its wake.

Was this what the Darkside felt like? Was this the Darkness they were taught to fear and fight against?

If so, why is this Presence coming from Qui-Gon?!

What caused him to feel like this? What happened to the soothing warmth?!

Several more sobs shook Obi-Wan’s body as Qui-Gon pulled the smaller man closer to his chest. Between the overwhelming Dark Presence steadily beating down upon him and the slow, but constant, blood loss Obi-Wan was mere seconds away from passing out. It was only shear will, fear and pain that was keeping him from doing so.

But the will power of a teenager is not endless. Pain and fear can only help for so long. He was tiring and the nagging voice in his head saying everything is well was repeating itself again and again and again and…

There was nothing he could do. Qui-Gon was so much older and so much stronger than him. Obi-Wan can honestly say that he had never been so helpless in his life.

Which was saying something given all the crap he has been through in the last four years.

No one will save him from this. No one will burst through the roof or doors and pull him away from this… doppelganger who was wearing his former Master’s face.

No one can or will save him because the one who normally does come to his rescue was now the one that was hurting him. 

Another sob tore itself from his aching throat as he weakly pulled at the silky grey-brown hair in his hands. He did not remember grabbing the hair but he held it with all his will. Obi-Wan’s grip was weak and he couldn’t even find the strength to yank the head away from his neck. It would not matter if doing so would tear out his own throat; Obi-Wan just wanted the rabid beast that was holding him to its chest to let him go.

Forcing his eyes open, Obi-Wan looked blearily at the roof of bungalow as the obscene sound of slurping rang so close to his ears. There was no escaping this. He could not force himself into his mind and he could hear, touch, smell, feel what Qui-Gon was doing to him.

There could be no denying that what Qui-Gon was doing to him would be the cause of his death. And Obi-Wan mourned not his own impending death, but whatever the cause was for Qui-Gon to do this to him.

It wasn’t hard to come to the decision of surrender after a few more minutes of choked sobbing and the horrid sounds that Qui-Gon made as he greedily mouthed over the wound that was forced on Obi-Wan’s neck. There was nothing Obi-Wan could do. The Force was out of his reach. It felt almost like when he had been force to wear that collar when he was younger and on a mission with Qui-Gon to stop a slave ring in the Inner Core.

It was like he had no connection to the Force at all. The only Force he could feel was that Oily Darkness that was becoming harder and harder to ignore.

Closing his eyes once more, Obi-Wan slumped his body forward and did not resist when Qui-Gon shuffled him around like a doll. His action seemed to please Qui-Gon as the older man pulled away from his neck and breath gasping wetly in great heaves onto his damp skin.

“That’s it Obi-Wan…” Qui-Gon murmured into his ear. “Just relax and feel. The first bite always hurts but afterwards…” Obi-Wan heard a low dark chuckle and shivered in fear. That tone… By the Force he was scared. “Shhh, don’t be afraid my son. Just keep your eyes open and feel what the Force has to offer.”

A whimper made its way out of his mouth as he clenched his eyes shut in fear. This was not his Qui-Gon. This was not his Qui-Gon. This was a monster wearing his face. And this monster was hurting him. The teeth once again broke the soft skin of his neck, creating a new wound near the old one and Obi-Wan could not help the pitiful cry that was wrenched from him.

It hurts. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts. Those sharp teeth tearing into his skin. The strong arms enclosing him in a tight, crushing grip. The blood being taken, being sucked out of his veins without care. It all hurt so much.

And the betrayal that came from Qui-Gon is what hurt the most.

Qui-Gon Jinn had once been one of the very few people in the universe that Obi-Wan ever trusted so fully. He had loved the older man like a father and saw him as a very close and dear friend. And now… Now there was only pain and suffering. And soon there would only be his death left to greet him.

With Qui-Gon clutching him close, Obi-Wan allowed himself to become weightless in the taller man’s arms. There would be no more resistance from him. No more fighting. No more crying or sobbing. He was dead. Murdered by his former Master and friend. All that was left for him to do was just die already.

As more and more minutes passed by, Obi-Wan found himself quickly becoming even light headed and weak, if that were possible. Whether it was from blood loss or shock or even stress, he did not know. But he did know that it was becoming harder to stay awake completely. And he honestly was not sure why he had not just allowed himself to fall into unconsciousness already. There was nothing he could do or say that would stop this. He was nothing but a weak young boy who trusted the wrong man.

It would be easier to sink into his death if he was unconscious. Maybe he should stop fighting and-!

Something grabbed his collar of his shirt and with a choking grip, Obi-Wan was pulled away from the warm body of his former Master and went crashing down onto the glass table by their feet.

Crying out weakly in pain as the glass stabbed into the back of his arms and legs as well as his back, Obi-Wan opened his eyes to stare weakly up at his…hero?

Though the man back was turned at him, Obi-Wan could see that his hero was a tall man, almost as tall as Qui-Gon and that his hair was a dark slivery brown colour. He wore a rich red cloak over his shoulders and it covered his whole back and legs, making it hard to see what he looked like. The low almost hissing voice coming from the man drew his full attention.

“-And I leave you for barely half the night and you do this?” The man’s voice was rich as his cloak, it felt so nice to listen to. Obi-Wan could not help but relax fully at the sound of it. “Look at what you have done. You would be lucky if the boy lived until sunrise with the amount of blood loss you have forced him through!”

Qui-Gon snarled like an animal and Obi-Wan tensed as much as he physically could at the sound. It reminded him terribly of the Hoth Snow Wolf they had encounter years back. The beast snarled and growled and attacked them both. It was a terrifying sound on an animal and horrifying on a human, if that was what Qui-Gon was anymore.

“He is mine Jard! Mine!” Qui-Gon’s voice growled viciously. “You heard his call! They will try and come for him! I will not let them take-…” The words were cut off by the sound of skin slapping skin hard.

“Be silent you fool! Of course I heard his cry! Everyone in the galaxy could have heard it! Whatever you did Qui-Gon, it was completely your own fault!” His hero hissed back at Qui-Gon. “If you had stuck to our plan then none of this would have happened. The boy would have come willingly.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes closed as finally the exhaustion began to take its toll on his body. He did not know what the two men were talking about but he could not bring himself to care anymore. Everything felt heavy and he felt so very weak. He just wanted to sleep and let this all just be a very bad dream.

No more blood. No more pain. No more betrayal and anger.

Just endless, weightless sleep.

As he began to drift away, Obi-Wan felt distantly that he was being lifted into strong and stable arms. And even though his back screamed in dull agony, Obi-Wan did not react other than a faint whimper of pain. His whimper became a moan as a cool hand touched the bites on his neck, but the warmth of a Force Heal soon overcame his body and all of the aches and pains that had been plaguing him were quickly disappearing.

It was only a few moments of warmth that was granted to him, but Obi-wan could feel that it was almost enough for all of his wounds to be healed. The glass shards that had pierced his body were pushed out and fell to the ground, shattering on impact. He dimly realised that Qui-Gon and the man who was holding him were still talking but Obi-Wan could not hear what they were saying.

As his mind drifted into darkness, Obi-Wan wondered if this all truly was a dream and that nothing was wrong. But the loud animalistic snarl that followed him into the abyss of unconsciousness made him think otherwise.

-

“-y Padawan, where he is, I wish to know.” Obi-Wan woke, head hazy and confused to the sound of his Master’s voice coming from what sounded like a Comm.

“Asleep, my old Master.” A rich cultured voice answered. Obi-Wan blinked slowly and nearly hissed at the light that blinded his eyes. It took him a few moments but he closed his eyes once more and moved his head slightly against what he realised was a rather fluffy pillow. When had he been put to bed? He wondered. He did not remember going to bed. He remembered having dinner with Qui-Gon and then…

Nothing. There was nothing in his memory after dinner. He could not even remember if Qui-Gon had rebraided his Padawan Braid like he promised.

“Heard his cry, all of us did.” Yoda continued. There was suspicion in his voice, Obi-Wan could feel it and there was a part of him that wanted to jump with joy because of it, though he was unsure as to why. He tried to think as to why and how and what was happening but his head was too clouded to try.

“As did I Yoda. It seemed that both Qui-Gon and young Kenobi had both fallen asleep next to each other on the bed while watching a HoloVid.” The rich voice seemed to explain. Was that what happened? Obi-Wan couldn’t remember anything after the dinner they had. Force, he couldn’t even remember what they had for dinner. “Unfortunately, Qui-Gon is still prone to sever nightmares and with the Bond those two share…” The voice trailed off.

“Caught in Qui-Gon’s nightmare, was Obi-Wan?” Yoda’s voice sounded… hesitant. Like he didn’t know what to believe. The part of him that had been jumping with joy cried out suddenly with anguish. No, something was not right. Yoda had to believe… Had to… Why did he need Master Yoda? Wasn’t he supposed to be having a month to himself to be with Qui-Gon?

“Yes, unfortunately. Neither of them could separate reality and dreams and whatever they were seeing left the boy terrified. I managed to pull them out of their minds and put them both into a Force Sleep. They will hopefully wake sometime in the afternoon.” Lie… That was a lie. Obi-Wan could feel that it was a lie. Something else happened. Something worse… But what?

Obi-Wan could not remember. And that frightened him.

“Speak to my Padawan, I shall. When he awakes.” Yoda ordered. Yes… Obi-Wan needed to speak to Yoda. Yoda needed to know something. Something big and dangerous and…

“Of course!” The rich voice man spoke as if surprised. “As soon as he is awake and able I will have him Comm you. I will get Qui-Gon too as well.” That was a lie too. Why couldn’t Yoda see the lie.

“Humph. Expect Comm call, I will.” Yoda’s voice suddenly disappeared and there was a silence in the room.

Obi-Wan opened his eyes once more and whimpered immediately at the brightness of the light. There was a tut from the man and the light was suddenly gone.

“I am surprised you are awake young one.” The rich voice spoke close, though he could not see where the man was. Everything was burly and his head swam as he attempted to look around the room. “You lost a great deal of blood and went through such a hard ordeal.” The rich voice continued almost sympathetic.

Obi-Wan felt a dip in the mattress beside him and turned his head as fast as he dared in that direction. Though his eyes were watery and the low light made it hard to see, Obi-Wan knew immediately that the man next to him was none other than the famed Former Master Jard Dooku, Count of Serenno. The man who had trained Qui-Gon and who was now his Padawan Brother.

The Count’s face looked dreadfully pale in the low light, making the royal face look almost ghostly and for some reason the Count’s eyes, which Obi-Wan had read were supposed to be a dark brown colour, looked to be a luminous yellow. Why was that?

One of the Count’s cool hands gently touched his forehead, the coolness of the hands soothed a heat that Obi-Wan did not realise he was suffering from. “You have a very inquisitive mind young one. And your shielding is a horrid mess. Has that Troll not taught you anything?”

Obi-Wan did not realise that his shields were down and weak until the Count pointed it out. Squirming with embarrassment, Obi-Wan looked away from the older man. His gaze turning to the bedsheet instead. He did not have the energy to pull his shields up at the moment.

“Now, now child. There is no need to be embarrassed…” The Count seemed to almost…purr as he spoke. Obi-Wan felt, rather than saw, the older man leaned down closer to him. “We are family are we not?”

The Count’s breath smelt like a rotting death. And that breath that touched his face held that stench was what reminded him of what had happened.

The stench was the same as Qui-Gon’s. And Qui-Gon… Qui-Gon had attacked him. Had hurt him.

Obi-Wan was slowly, very slowly, beginning to remember what had happened to him. He had not shared a dream with Qui-Gon last night. No, he had gone to the green house with the older man. They had talked and Qui-Gon had begun to act strange in the bungalow. The Former Master had spoken of a man who he had met out in the Outer Rim and then…

And then Qui-Gon had attacked him. Had taken away Obi-Wan’s ability to use the Force in a way that he has only read about. Qui-Gon used Force Manipulation against him and of all things had bitten him! Bitten! On the neck!

Why? Why would Qui-Gon do such a thing? What was wrong with him?

And what the hell was wrong Count Jard Dooku? The man next to him pulled him away from Qui-Gon and had more or less saved him but just before Dooku lied to Master Yoda!

What was going on?!

“Ahhh… Your mind is highly strong child.” Dooku’s hand moved from his forehead to his hair and sharp fingernails ran effortless through the short spikes almost pleasantly. “You have thrown off both mine and Qui-Gon’s suggestions and see the truth so easy. You will make a fine Apprentice.”

Apprentice? What did he mean by that?! Obi-Wan was already a Padawan to Master Yoda!

Opening his eyes, Obi-Wan looked up in confusion, not understanding at all what the Count meant.

“Sleep child.” There was a Force Command in the Count’s voice, and it was so very hard to ignore in the state that he was in. “We will have much to do when you awake.”

The command was strong and in his current weakness and confusion, Obi-Wan had no choice but to submit to it and fall into a deep, Force enhanced, slumber.

-

A coolness around his warm body is what woke him, how many hours later. Obi-Wan blinked himself awake blearily and took a moment to try and figure out where he was.

He was facing a dark stone wall that held a dying torch that illuminated the room in a dark haze. There was a steel door several meters away from the torch that looked bolted down and locked. Obi-Wan could hear a low thumping from the door and the faint sounds of cries and moans. By the Force, what was in there?!

Shivering, Obi-Wan turned his head and looked around the rest of the room and found that it was unfortunately mostly the same. Stone walls, dying torches and one more door that was also steel. There was no sound coming from that door, thankfully.

He also realised, rather belatedly that he was on a firm mattress with Qui-Gon wrapped around his body. The look and feel of Qui-Gon around him caused a small whine of fear to get caught in the back of his throat.

Oh Force, what was happening? Where was he? And why was the lower half of Qui-Gon’s face covered in dry blood?

Shaking and trying desperately to hold himself together, Obi-Wan closed his eyes and reached out to the Force to ground himself. A Massive swell of relief flowed through him as he felt the Force rush to him as it always did; except…

The Force was wrong. It was not warm nor safe. It was not gentle or pure. It felt corrupted. It felt cruel and sharp. Obi-Wan shoved the Force presence that had answered his call and nearly cried out as the Dark, oily presence stuck onto his mind.

This wasn’t right! None of this was right!

Trembling, Obi-Wan very slowly and very carefully pushed Qui-Gon’s massive arms off his body. He waited for a few heart stopping moments to see if the older man would wake but thankfully Qui-Gon only turned over and mumbled softly to himself.

Letting out an almost silent breath of relief, Obi-Wan rolled himself out of the bed and placed his feet onto the ice cold floor with a hiss. The stone was hard and unforgiving under his soft feet. And judging from the temperature of the floor, Obi-Wan would only have a few hours before his feet became riddled with frost bite.

Damn it. This was not going to be easy. From the way the stones looked and the feeling of the cold under his feet, Obi-Wan guessed they were at the very least a klick underground. The massive castle that belonged to the Count was apparently thousands of years old and if the information he had read on the Holonet was right, then he was more than likely in the ‘closed off’ dungeon.

Drawing his shields up around him the best he could in his weakened state, Obi-Wan moved slowly and silently over to the steel door where the low moans and cries flowed through the metal. He needed to know if there were others who were stuck in here that needed to be saved. Even if it made his job of escaping harder, Obi-Wan could not stand the idea of possibly leaving someone else in the hands of the Count and Qui-Gon.

Those two men were not stable nor safe to be around, Obi-Wan could tell that much.

He stood in front of the door, flinching slightly as the banging on the other side caused the door to shake and rattle. He stood as close as he dared and lifted his hand to the cool metal cautiously. It was like touching ice and brought a hiss to his lips.

Obi-Wan yanked his hand back from the door at the sound of his own hiss and looked horrified towards the bed. He hoped that the sound had not woken Qui-Gon or alerted him that Obi-Wan was no longer in the bed and thankfully someone beyond the Force was looking after him as Qui-Gon did not turn nor wake.

Silently sighing in relief, Obi-Wan turned back to the door and placed his hand once again on the icy steel, flinching at the feeling. He used a small amount of Force energy to ‘see’ the auras of those who are inside.

He could ‘see’ two men within a small cell like room. Their auras were heavy with the feeling of starvation and need. They wanted and craved to be feed and would do anything to get what they needed. There was no warmth nor sanity within their minds. Obi-Wan could only feel the hunger and need that they were projecting. The heavy Dark taint that he had felt before was surrounding those two men. There was nothing Obi-Wan could do to save them at this point.

He was too weak and scared to be able to save two men who had no doubt been tortured and attacked, probably like how he been. Obi-Wan was in no shape or form able to help those two. When he escaped, and he will – he has to, Obi-Wan would be sure to tell Master Yoda about the two men in that room.

Hopefully by the time someone comes to get them they will still be alive.

Pulling his hand slowly away from the door, Obi-Wan took a long deep breath and exhaled as silently as he could. His body was trembling in small but constant shivers both from shock and the cold that was seeping into his body from the feet up. His original estimate of frost bite setting in hours may have been wrong. He could already feel a low numbness beginning to sink into his toes and knew that he needed to act soon to get out of this place, before his own body betrays him,

With slow, calculated steps, Obi-Wan made his way over to the other steel door. He had not noticed it before but there was a low red light coming from under the door and a warmth could be felt as he raised his hand to the steel. There was a fire in the next room; probably from a fireplace.

Obi-Wan could not hear nor feel anyone on the other side of the door like he had with the other room and with a quick look over at the bed to check if Qui-Gon was still asleep, Obi-Wan pressed a small amount of Force into the lock to force it open.

With a low creak that had him flinching in fear, Obi-Wan wrenched open the door and moved as fast as he could into the almost boiling hot room. He tried to be as quiet as he could, but between the door opening and closing and his own heavy footsteps as he moved into the next room, Obi-Wan knew that he had most definitely woken Qui-Gon.

Not sparing even a glance at the room with its large furnace fireplace, Obi-Wan took off in a run. His quick eyes noticed a small corridor to the left and he immediately moved towards it. He only had a small window of time before Qui-Gon came storming out of that room searching for him. Even now he could feel the small pinpricks of awareness jolting from their Bond.

He really did not have much time left.

Blindly, Obi-Wan ran across the ice cold floor that was barely heated from the fireplace. With his braid smacking him hard in the face, Obi-Wan desperately ran up countless stairs and forced open countless locked doors as he attempted to hopelessly leave the area he was trapped within.

Finally, after what seemed to be half an hour of running blindly, Obi-Wan came across what looked to be a servant’s quarters. The room looked like it had not been entered in centuries and smelt like several people had been left to decompose within the room.

Coughing heavily through a trembling hand from both the smell and from the lack of breath he was suffering from, Obi-Wan shuffled over the small window above one of the beds. It was just taller than he was and there was a large amount of light filtering through the darkened glass. The window was not that big, but then again, neither was he.

Obi-Wan nearly laughed, to think all this time he had cursed his short and thin figure. Now it would be his saviour.

Knowing and feeling that Qui-Gon was drawing in close, Obi-Wan stumbled towards the lumpy blanket covered bed. He was about to stand upon the mattress when a hand reached out of nowhere behind him and grabbed his shoulder. He is man enough to say that he did scream, and loudly as he turned around and faced not Qui-Gon or anyone else who may have caused him harm, but the fearful face of one of the young servants who had taken the dishes away last night.

One of the Force Nulls.

She stood there, face pleading along with several of the other Force Nulls, her bony fingers digging into his shirt and her cracked lipped mouth silently begging for him to take them with him. As her mouth moved, Obi-Wan caught glimpses of a stumped tongue. It looked like it had been cut off at one time of another.

Heart in his throat, Obi-Wan looked over at the window and knew that these servants would not be able to fit through it like he could… Unless…

Biting his lip, Obi-Wan gestured with his hand for the servants to step away from the window. He didn’t want to do this. He really did not want to touch the tainted Force that was around this place but he knew that he was not strong enough on his own to pull this off. Even before he had been attacked and had lost so much blood, Obi-Wan knows that he would not have been able to do this without drawing on the Living Force around him.

Drawing a deep breath, Obi-Wan closed his eyes and drew upon the tainted Force around him. The Force answered his call like an old friend and swirled around his body and mind. The thick taint clung to him as the energy swelled. With a thrust of his hand, Obi-Wan shattered the small window and the stone work surrounding it.

The sound roared through the room left him feeling deaf and weak. The taint clung to him even as he drew himself away from Force, leaving him shaken and shivering. He could hear the dull thud of footsteps coming closer and closer to the room and Qui-Gon’s presence was almost upon them.

Gritting his teeth, Obi-Wan gestured to the servants to get through the hole. He moved his shaking and stiff body back towards the door he had ran through and jammed it shut. It won’t do much to stop Qui-Gon but Obi-Wan needed to do something, anything before he ran.

And by the Force did he run. He sprinted to the bed and climbed up through the space that he had made a moment before. Two of the servants pulled him out onto the glass and rock ground, their hands felt cool against his skin, almost as cool as Qui-Gon’s had. He wanted to pull away from the iciness of their hands but the looks of gratitude and the half murmured sounds that came from their tortured mouths made him pause. He could not bring himself to stop the touches not the looks.

How long have these people suffered? What has been done to them? Those two men down in that locked room, were they servants too? Was that how they were trained?

Obi-Wan felt sick even thinking about it.

Shaking his head slightly, Obi-Wan gently pulled himself away from the servants and looked around. They were at one of the sides of the castle surrounded by large trees and high walls. It took over four hours by speeder to get to the castle and Force only knew how long it would take to get there on foot. If he was alone he would use the Force and escape on his own.

But he cannot leave these servants. Not now. Not ever.

He grabbed one of the servant’s hands and began to jog towards the high walls. He would have to draw on the Force once more, but already out in the trees and the castle Obi-Wan could feel the Light of the Force return to himself once more. The gentleness of the Light was soothing the taint that was clinging to his body and like water, the Light washed away the oil that tried to smother him.

The servants were quick to follow him into the nearly over run foliage. Obi-Wan spared a thought that Qui-Gon would have loved to have walked through this forest but he was quick to discard the thought. Qui-Gon was not the same man he once was and Obi-Wan knew and he needed to stop thinking of the man. He could feel Qui-Gon coming closer and closer and he needed to get himself and these people to safety as fast as he could.

But being out in the sun seemed to make all of them slow and sluggish. Hell, it was making him feel weak and sluggish. Obi-Wan wanted nothing more than to lie down in the sun and sleep. He couldn’t though. He needed to get out of here and keep these people safe.

Forcing his body through the overwhelming foliage, Obi-Wan pushed his senses to feel what he could. It would not do any good to be taken surprise by any animal or guard. He could still feel Qui-Gon but the further he walked with the servants, the more faintly the former Jedi Master’s presence grew. Was there something stopping him from following?

Obi-Wan didn’t know and didn’t care. He just wanted to get away with these people safely.

The trees provided shade for them as they moved through the thick brush. The servants, while slow, kept pace with him. They moved around the cascade of deep brown trees that stood as guardians around them, Obi-Wan listened to the screeching and scuffling of the animals within the thick moss and leave covered ground. It was almost calming, listening to the life forms move about and around him. They felt like brightly lit stars in a dark night.

They grounded him. Obi-Wan felt like he was almost floating and the lights that glowed from the life forms proved to an anchor that he so desperately needed. Everything that had happened to him in the last day has all but thrown him out of whack.

His hand was clammy around the servants as they moved deeper and deeper through the woodlands. He could feel that it had been hours since they had escaped through the hole in wall and Obi-Wan could also feel that they were getting closer and closer to the wall that encloses the castle. Hopefully the wall will be easy to blast through and is not guarded.

Hopefully. He does not have any weapons, let alone his lightsaber. Obi-Wan would not be able to stand against any droids or men who could attack them. And the servants did not look as if they could even hold their own against a leaf, let alone an attack. With any luck though the wall will be a standard stone and easy to blast like the window had been.

He was not looking forward to drawing on the Force once more but the Living Force from the forest was pure and calming and not at all like the oily taint that plagued the castle. Obi-Wan could still feel the Darkness clinging to but with each passing moment within the pure Living Force cleansed him.

He could do this. He would get through this. He has to.

It took several more hours to get to the hard stoned wall and he nearly swore when he saw how high it was. He never noticed the wall when he had arrived at the castle yesterday.

Force, had he only just arrived here yesterday? Dear Force. It did not feel like that.

Obi-Wan let go of the servant’s hand and shivered in shadow of the wall. He glanced at the servants who looked at him with desperate expressions. They were all relying on him.

Swallowing hard, Obi-Wan closed his eyes and reached out into the Force, drawing on the Living Force. The warmth of the pure Force surrounded him like a lovers embrace. Light and energy flowed through him and gently, Obi-Wan pulled enough power to blast a large hole at the base of the wall where they stood.

The blast was tremendous and almost deafening. If Dooku and Qui-Gon didn’t know where they were before they did know now. Gritting his teeth and trying desperately to shake away the headache that was threatening too pound through his head like a toddler pounding a drum, Obi-Wan grabbed the servant’s hand and began to lead them all through the hole as he listened to the blaring alarms that screamed around them.

Ahead of them was a large clearing space and surprisingly an Order shuttle was docked near the outline of the trees and standing by the ramp was none other than Quinlan Vos and Master Tholme, their green and yellow lightsabers shimmered in the dying light of day.

Obi-Wan could not help the desperate cry of joy that fell from his lips as he let go of the servant’s hand and ran as fast as he could into Quinan’s arms. He was saved! They were all saved!

“Kenobi!” Quinlan grabbed onto him hard before shoving him away with wide eyes. Oh shit. He forgot about Quinlan’s… “What they hell happened to you?!” The Kiffar’s dark eyes were wide and almost fearful. Tholme placed a gloved hand gently onto Quinlan’s shoulder and shook his head.

“Now is not the time, Padawan mine. We need to get Padawan Kenobi and these people onto the shuttle. There are non-friendlies approaching fast.” Tholme’s voice broke no arguments and in a rush Obi-Wan and the servants were ushered onto the ship.

The servants all huddled together in the small sleep room at the back of the shuttle while Obi-Wan followed Quinlan and Tholme to the bridge to help get the shuttle off the planet.

The Communicator was buzzing with orders from Planetary Defence, already demanding that they release the… prisoners? And that Serenno does not deal with terrorists? By the Force, what was that man going on about? Obi-Wan gave Quinlan a confused look before setting about programing the ships defences against both attacks and for when they jump into Hyperspace.

His hands shook and his breath came in low gasping pants as the ship took off. Obi-Wan moved instinctively with the ship as Quinlan and Tholme began to outmanoeuvre Serenno’s Defence squads. His head felt dizzy and the nauseating feeling of vertigo was attacking him.

A cold sweat broke out upon his skin and his eyes struggled to stay open the further they moved away from the planet. He could hear… he could feel Qui-Gon’s cry within his mind, begging him to return. And some part of him cried to go back to him. Something inside of him craved Qui-Gon and was all but clawing within his skin to go back.

His eyes were closed and his head lulled back against the seat but Obi-was could dimly feel his own hands move against the buttons before him, cutting off much needed systems if they were to escape. He heard Quinlan’s cry of dismay and knew that his hands were being wrenched away from the panel but Obi-Wan was gone. His mind floated into a darkness that was warm and comfortable despite the cries that came from his friend.

-

Obi-Wan did not know how many hours passed since he had fainted. He was strapped to a medical bed and was stripped from the waist up.

Looking down his body, Obi-Wan noticed that there was a great deal of what looked to be either bite or suction marks on his wrist and inner elbows. The bites that Qui-Gon made upon his neck throbbed as he moved, the adrenaline that he had been running on since he had first woken up in that cold, stone room must have slowly run out when he fainted, leaving him only with the pain and aches of his wounds.

The low light of the room was a blessing on his straining eyes and pounding head. He could hear the low sounds of the servant’s half speech that he had gotten used to in the hours that they ran from the castle. He felt a low guilt in the back of his mind when he realised that he never bothered with learning any of their names, not before and not after they escaped. All he had wanted to do was get out of there and he had not cared to learn just who he was helping to save.

He closed his eyes and let out a low, almost sobbing breath. How could this have all gone wrong? He was supposed to be enjoying a month off his studies to be with his former Master and friend. They were supposed to heal and talk and perhaps Obi-Wan would have had the chance to convince Qui-Gon to come back to the Temple and the Jedi but…

But everything had gone wrong. So completely and utterly wrong.

“That it did young one. And from the state of you and those people out there something has been going wrong for a very long time right under our noses.” Tholme’s gentle voice surprised him completely. Eye’s shooting open, Obi-Wan turned his head as quickly as he dared to stare at the weathered and hard-bitten Master.

“Easy boy. You are in no shape to move.” Tholme scowled at him, the scar on his face stretching as he moved his head. “I am even surprised you were able to escape from that place.” The elder man sat by his bedside and carefully touched one of the bites. “You are very lucky to be alive Padawan. And more importantly, still firmly within the Light.”

Despite the gentleness of the touch, Obi-Wan flinched as the pain from the bite shot up his arm. “I don’t remember getting those.” He whispered. “I remember the ones on my neck… the ones Qui-Gon did but…” His voice trailed off into a cough. Obi-Wan had not realised how sore and dry his throat was. Swallowing hard, Obi-Wan lifted his head to accept the water that flowed from a cup in Tholme’s hand.

The more he drank of the cool water, the more he craved. He wanted more of the liquid to sooth the ache that was clawing at his throat. When the last drop was gone, a low, almost pitiful whine made its way out of his mouth, much to his confusion. Why was he so thirsty? He has gone longer without water or fluids before and has not suffered like this before.

Tholme’s face was set in a hard look that Obi-Wan has only seen a few times in his life. The Master placed the glass away from the bed and with a soft touch to Obi-Wan’s chin, Tholme pushed down and gently pried open his mouth.

Whatever he saw, Tholme did not like at all. Obi-Wan was completely and utterly confused as to what the Master was doing but he did not stop the other man. He knew there was something wrong with him. Something that either Dooku or Qui-Gon had done to him. Obi-Wan did not know what was done to him but he had a faint idea that Tholme did.

“Did you drink anything in that castle?” The Master asked as he moved his hand away from Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan watched as Tholme wiped his hand on a cloth and realised rather blankly that Tholme was wiping away dried blood.

“There was wine… At dinner.” Obi-Wan answered with a slow blink. When had he cut his chin or mouth? Obi-Wan couldn’t remember but neither his mouth or chin hurt…

“What kind of wine?” Tholme demanded, his eyes fierce and hard. Obi-Wan swallowed in fight and noticed rather distractedly that there was a faint taste of blood in his mouth. He could not remember how it got there.

“Red. Qui…Jinn said that it was some famous wine that he was allergic to.” Obi-Wan frowned his brows as he thought. “It was very rich and earthy, Master. There was a bitter after taste.”

Tholme’s face looked more and more displeased. “Was it Jinn or Dooku who attacked you first?” The Jedi Master asked, his voice was very cold and hard, making Obi-Wan feel as if he had done something wrong.

“Jinn was the only one who attacked me.” Obi-Wan’s frown deepened and his body shivered slightly as the recycled air flowed through the room.

Tholme shook his head and pointed to his wrist. “This bite here is a different diameter to the others. They are small, thus come from a smaller mouth. Several of the men and women you brought with you have the same bite, but lack the larger one.” He explained.

Obi-Wan shivered again and looked at the bites hard, noticing that they were indeed different. “Why.... Why did they do this to me?” His voice was weak and held a tremble. Tears pricked at his eyes as he looked up the hard Master.

He was so confused and scared. Something terrible has happened to him. To Qui-Gon and Dooku. And whatever it was, Obi-Wan could feel that it was going to be the cause of something that would change the universe forever.

Tholme gave him a rare sympathetic look and placed a gentle hand on his bare shoulder for half a second before shaking his head. “I cannot tell you. I have several suspicions but until we get you to Coruscant and to the Healers…” He trailed off with a sigh. “You may have uncovered something we in the Outposts have been fearing for a long time Padawan.”

Obi-Wan looked up at the old Master, tears slipping from his eyes to caress his cheeks. “There is something wrong with me isn’t there? I… I drew on the Force while in that place and I can still feel it on me…” Obi-Wan shuffled in his binds, a sob was trying to force its way up his throat.

Tholme sighed and shook his head. “Partly yes. I will explain more when we get you to safety. For now, I will put you into a Force induced sleep.” Tholme placed his hand upon Obi-Wan’s head and before he could protest, Obi-Wan felt the soft weaving pull of a Force suggestion to sleep.

And so he did.

-

Obi-Wan awoke warm and safe in the familiar rooms of the Healer’s ward. He could feel the soft presence of several Healers near him but did not feel the need to move. Everything felt weightless and his head was muffled by an almost artificial calm.

As he blinked away the sleep from his eyes, Obi-Wan realised that the lights in the room were down on their lowest setting and holding his hand beside him was his Master, Yoda.

Obi-Wan looked over at the small green Master with tearful eyes, his pale hand squeezing gently. “You heard my call.” He rasped, throat still sore.

Yoda gave him a small sad smile and nodded. “Scared younglings, you did.” His Master gently scolded him. “Lucky you were, to have Master Tholme and Knight Vos coming home from mission.”

Obi-Wan swallowed hard and nodded. He knew that he was extremely lucky to have had those two there. If they had not have been….

Obi-Wan did not want to think about the possibilities.

“What happened to me Master?” He asked instead. He could feel that his body was unbound and he took advantage of that fact and moved his hand up to his neck, feeling the semi healed bites.

Yoda sighed and for the first time in all of the years Obi-Wan has known the old Master, Yoda looked his nine hundred years. The green Master’s ears drooped and his eyes closed as if pained.

“Attacked you were. Lucky to be alive and safe in the Light, you are.” Was all his Master would say.

Obi-Wan looked at the small Master, confusion and fear slowly sinking down into his aching and stressed body once more. He needed to know what had happened and what was wrong with not only Qui-Gon and Dooku, but with him.

“Extremely lucky.” A low voice drawled from near the door. Obi-Wan jumped and his head moved fast to look at the stranger who had spoken. The man stood at the shadows, head bowed under his hood and his voice sounded muffled by a mask. “Most who are attacked by a Vam’pyre do not live to tell the tale.”

Obi-Wan frowned at the man and glanced at his Master in confusion. Yoda did not look at him though, his gaze was fixated on the man at the door. Obi-Wan could feel the glare his normally cheerful Master was pointing at the man.

“You are confused and scared young one. And you have every right to be.” The man’s muffled voice drew Obi-Wan’s attention with ease. “You have been attacked and assaulted by men you thought you could trust. You have rescued many tortured souls while you yourself could barely fight for yourself. And now you are home and no one seems willing or able to tell you what had happened nor why.”

Obi-Wan swallowed, his parched throat dry and sore. The way that man spoke had him fixated. While the voice may be muffled, to Obi-Wan it may as well have been honey. So soft and sweet, Obi-Wan could not help but nod in agreement to what the man was saying.

“Enough! Bring you here for you to play mind games with my Padawan, I did not!” Yoda barked, jolting Obi-Wan out of a trance he was not aware he was in. “Much he had been through! Need not your game’s R[retracted]!”

The man named R[retracted] merely laughed softly and walked towards the bed slowly, as if he had all the time in the world. “I am not playing games Yoda.” R[retracted]’s voice held an amused note and he stopped by the bed. “Young Kenobi here has no shields to defend himself at the moment. And the ones you have put around him will not be able to stop natural factors from affecting him.”

He had no shields?! Obi-Wan sent his Master a fearful look but Yoda’s full attention was on R[retracted].

“Natural factor you are not!” Obi-Wan watched his Master move onto the bed and sit beside his body, almost guarding him.

“And neither is he” R[retracted] tilted his head at Yoda before looking at Obi-Wan and speaking almost softly. “Tell me young Kenobi” Obi-Wan blinked up at R[retracted]. “When you look at your Master, what do you feel? Do you feel the warmth of his Light? Can you feel your Bond shining brightly between you?” R[retracted] paused and leaned down slightly. “Or do you feel a hunger tear at your throat?”

Obi-Wan’s eyes widened at the other man’s words and slowly looked towards his Master, half terrified at what he would find.

He could defiantly feel their Bond pulsing strongly between them as always. And the Light and warmth that his Master always has was as blinding as ever but…

R[retracted] was right. There was a hunger in his throat. It was like the one he had felt on the ship with Master Tholme. He was craving something to sooth a fire that burnt deep under his skin. Without even realising it, Obi-Wan’s mouth opened and he panted like he had just run a hundred meters with a Rancor on his arse.

R[retracted] threw a small flask at his lap and glanced at Yoda. “Leave the room Yoda. I need to speak with the young one alone. I will call you back when he is…stable.” R[retracted] glanced at the flask and back at Yoda.

Obi-Wan picked up the metal flask and looked at his Master in confusion. Yoda did not meet his eyes at all and his Master was instead looking at his mouth with a hard look upon his face. What was wrong with his mouth?

Obi-Wan dropped the flask and moved one of his hand’s up to touch his mouth and was stopped by the cool touch of R[retracted]’s hand. “It is best you do not do that for now young one.” The older man’s hand gently pulled Obi-Wan’s to the flask and placed it within his hand. “As soon as your Master leaves, I want you to drink this.”

Obi-Wan frowned at the man and looked down at the flask. It did not look out of the ordinary. A little old and beat up but it looked very normal. Why did R[retracted] want him to drink whatever was in this? Could he not just get Obi-Wan a glass of water?

Or better yet, explain to him why he was thirsty as all hell and what they hell he meant by ‘Vam’pyre’ whatever the hell that was.

Obi-Wan dropped the flask back down in his lap and shook his head. Thirst be damned! He wanted answers! And just as he was about to demand them his Master sighed and shuffled himself off the bed.

“Outside I will be. Come I shall when you call me Padawan.” Yoda spoke, eyes looking down at the floor before he began to move away from the bed towards the door, the dull thud of his cane was loud in the quiet room.

“Master wait! -” Obi-wan tried to speak up but the dryness of his throat brought a coughing fit down upon him. His body shook as the sounds of the door being opened and closed reached his ears. Eyes watering, Obi-Wan managed to look up to the door where his Master disappeared to before R[retracted] placed a cool hand on the back of his neck.

“Easy young one. Breathe slowly.” The masked man’s voice was low and calming, lulling him into a state of calm and compliancy.

Obi-Wan did what R[retracted] said. He took low deep breaths and exhaled slowly as R[retracted] spoke softly to him. Slowly, but surely, the coughing stopped and Obi-Wan could breathe a little easier.

“Drink the flask, young one.” R[retracted] ordered, his voice still low and calm. “Drink and I shall explain everything to you the best I can.”

Obi-Wan looked up at the dark mask that covered the man’s face before looking down and reaching for the flask. He did not know what was in the metal container and he was honestly afraid to find out. He held the flask for several moment’s weighing up his fear and his anxious curiosity to find out what had happened to him and what was going on.

Finally, his curiosity and desire to drink something, anything, won out against his fear and concern.

With a trembling hand, Obi-Wan opened the top of the flask and let the lid drop down onto the bed, noting absently that the liquid that came from the metal lid was a deep red. Swallowing hard and shaking, he brought the flask up to his lips and drank the content down.

Within the second that the liquid touched his tongue, Obi-Wan was in heaven. The warmth of the thick liquid soothed his throat and hit his belly like a low hot fire. He drank greedily from the flask, not caring at all that he was all but moaning like a smutvid whore. He wanted, no craved, more of it.

And when the last drop was gone from the flask, Obi-Wan let out the most horrid animalist growl that he had ever made. It startled him enough to drop the flask and stare up at R[retracted] horrified.

“I thought as much. Give yourself a second to breath young one. You do not have to be afraid. I will take care of everything.” R[retracted} took the flask and sealed it back up before placing it with his robes. Obi-Wan noticed the drop of red liquid from the lid was still on the bed and had to use all of his self-control to not grab the bedsheet and suck at the drop.

R[retracted] must have noticed where he was looking as he wiped away the drop with his finger slowly. “Tell me young Kenobi, have you realised yet what you just drank? Or is your mind not ready for that just yet?” There was a hint of amusement in the older man’s voice that confused Obi-Wan, what was so funny?

Obi-Wan ran his tongue over his teeth and swallowed gently, still tasting the liquid that he had just consumed. It was thick and warm with a silky smooth texture and an almost coppery aftertaste. He has tasted this before. He knows he has…

Frowning, Obi-Wan looked up at R[retracted] for guidance. He did not know where he had tasted what had been in the flask but he knew that he wanted more of it. R[retracted] sighed and reached out slowly to tilt Obi-Wan’s chin up. 

“You truly have not pieced it together have you? And they told me you were a smart boy.” R[retracted] shook his head and pulled his hand away. “What do you remember of your attack young Kenobi?” R[retracted] asked as he sat upon the bed by Obi-Wan’s left leg.

Obi-Wan frowned at the older man but answered the best he could. “We, Qui-Gon and I, had gone into the green house on the other side of the castle. We had been talking about different things and Qui-Gon began to tell me about his trips to the far Outer Rim, near Wild Space.” Obi-Wan paused and looked down at his hands, not wanting to remember what happened next.

“It is okay young one. You are among friends here in the Temple.” R[retracted]’s voice was soothing and the cool hand that was placed on his calmed down an anxious feeling that had been building up with him.

“Qui-Gon… He started talking about a man, a Munn, he met named Hugo. And he kept saying strange things like ‘the Force that we had been taught was a lie’ and stuff like that and when he kept talking his presence stopped being warm and Light it was became stifling and, and it felt almost like being drowned in oil and-” Obi-Wan stopped speaking and drew in a shaky breath. His hand tightened around R[retracted] as tears pricked his eyes and a thickness that had nothing to do with his eased throat enclosed him.

“And I tried to leave. I knew something wasn’t right and I thought that if I get up to where my Comm was I could call Master Yoda and ask for his help because there was something wrong with Qui-Gon but when I stood up to leave Qui-Gon yanked me down and used Force Suggestions to keep me from fighting him.” Here his breath quickened and his eyes squeezed shut as he tried to force away the images of Qui-Gon and what he had done.

“I- I was too weak to fight him and the Force was becoming thick and Dark around the both of us and Qui-Gon – he cut me off from the Force! I couldn’t use it at all to get away.” The tears that had pricked against his eyes were now falling down his cheeks like small rain drops down a window. “But I managed to call out to Yoda as loud as I could…. And that really pissed him off. He… he said that I shouldn’t have done that and that he had wanted more time in Serenno because there would be less questions and he… he…” Obi-Wan sobbed. He didn’t want to say it. He didn’t want to acknowledge what Qui-Gon had done to him.

“He bit you didn’t he?” R[retracted]’s voice was gentle as the hand that held his. With his free hand, R[retracted] carefully brushed away the tears on Obi-Wan’s face.

Obi-Wan nodded and leaned into the hand that caressed his face, drawing on any comfort that was thrown at him. “He… He bit me.” He whispered in confirmation. “I couldn’t fight him off and after a while I just… gave up.” The quiet admission shamed him but he did not stop talking. Obi-Wan needed to get this out before it ate him up. “Qui-Gon…Qui-Gon seemed to prefer it when I gave up and he...” Obi-Wan swallowed. “He said that the first bite always hurts and he laughed before biting me again.”

“You have a strange series of marks on your back that have been partially healed.” R[retracted] stated, thumb moving slowly across Obi-Wan’s cheek. “How did you come about them?”

Obi-Wan leaned into the thumb and frowned before speaking. “Dooku grabbed me by the collar and pulled me off of Qui-Gon. I was thrown onto the glass caff table near where we were.” Obi-Wan explained. “I… I don’t really remember what they had said before I passed out but I do remember Dooku mentioning something about there being a plan set out for me and that Qui-Gon had not followed it.”

R[retracted] nodded and gave a low hum. “What else happened young Kenobi? How did you manage to get out of the castle with those men and women?”

Obi-Wan bit his lip and looked down at his hands before speaking. “After I passed out I remember waking up on a bed. I awoke to the sound of Yoda demanding to speak to me. Dooku was speaking to him on a Comm I guess and I remember that I kept sensing that he was lying to Yoda again and again and I couldn’t tell just how he was lying. I didn’t realise that Dooku had tried to manipulate my mind to make me think something else had happened that night until I smelt his breath.”

“His breath?” R[retracted] interrupted with the tilt of his head.

Obi-Wan nodded and looked up at the decorated designs that were etched onto the mask. “It was one of the things I noticed first. Qui-Gon… He has always been really proactive about his oral health. Something to do with his variation of human if I remember right. Anyway his breath stank like he had eaten something rotten. And Dooku had the same breath. Dooku’s breath jolted me out of whatever manipulation they had tried to put me under. But I wasn’t able to stop the Force Sleep he put on me.” Obi-Wan explained.

R[retracted] hummed and nodded. “What happened when you woke up?” The older man prompted him to continue.

Obi-Wan looked down again before speaking. “I woke up in a stone room in a bed. The Force within the room felt horrid, much like how it had felt around Qui-Gon when he attacked me. I woke with Qui-Gon next to me and his mouth was covered in dried blood. He also had his arm wrapped around me. The room was lit by fire torches.” Obi-Wan picked at the bed sheet and spoke in a quiet, but calmer voice. “There was two steel doors in the room. One of them I found, after I had pulled myself away from Qui-Gon without waking him up, held two men who were starving to the point their Force Signature was consumed completely by it. I didn’t dare try and get them out with the state we were all in.”

R[retracted] nodded and finally moved his hand away from Obi-Wan’s face. The older man instead grabbed Obi-Wan’s other hand and squeezed it gently. “We will be sending a team out to Serenno soon. But I do not think those men will be there when they arrive.” He stated.

Obi-Wan felt his heart sank at those words. He had… Obi-Wan had hoped that he could have gone back for those men. That they would have been saved from Qui-Gon and Dooku. He had-

“From your description of them young Kenobi,” R[retracted] voice interrupted his despairing thoughts. “Those men were at the brink of insanity and would have killed you the moment you opened the door. Most who are in that state have very little clarity or self—control.”

Obi-Wan blinked up at R[retracted] in confusion. What did he mean by that? He opened his mouth to ask but R[retracted] spoke before he could.

“Tell what else happened and I will explain everything to you child.” R[retracted] shook his head. Obi-Wan got the feeling there was a small smile on the other man’s face under that mask.

“Well, after I decided not to get those men out, I went to the other door.” Obi-Wan shrugged and sighed. “I didn’t waste any time. I forced opened the door and ran. I must have run for half an hour up Force only knows how many flights of stairs and smashed open any door that was in my way. Qui-Gon was always behind me somewhere. It… It was like he was taking his time in stalking me, like he believed that I wasn’t going to get out at all and he was just waiting for me to wear myself out.” Obi-Wan admitted.

“Where did you meet the men and women that you escaped with? R[retracted] asked, his voice was still calm and soft.

“There was a room that I ran into that had several rows of beds and a tiny window above one of the beds.” Obi-Wan shrugged. “It smelt like someone had died within the rooms and as I was about to crawl through the window one of the servants stopped me. I… I didn’t really understand what they were saying but I knew that they needed to leave too. So I sealed the door and… And I...” Obi-Wan fell silent, remembering exactly what he did and how it felt.

“What did you do young one?” R[retracted]’s voice sounded so kind and soft to his ears. It was a like a silent promise that he, Obi-Wan, will not be judged.

“I drew on the Force that was in the castle. The Dark Force.” He whispered. “I drew enough power to smash a hole big enough for all of us to fit through where the window was.” The admission made him shiver as he remembered the oily touch of the Dark and how it clung to his body and mind.

R[retracted] nodded and gave a low hum. “When you all were out of the castle, what did you do?” The older man prompted, keeping Obi-Wan from getting lost in the horror of the memory of who the Darkness felt.

“We ran to the forest.” Obi-Wan said. “We were in there for hours before we reached the wall. When we did reach it I drew on the Force again, but this time it was the Living Force not… Not whatever the hell it was in that castle. And I blew a hole big enough for all of us. The alarms went off the moment I blew the hole so we ran. I was surprised to see Quinlan and Master Tholme there. Were they waiting for us?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Yes and no.” R[retracted] stood and touched the edge of his mask for a second before pulling his hands away. “Your cry for help was heard by nearly all Force Sensitives in the Republic Kenobi.” He explained. “Tholme and his former Padawan were not ordered by anyone to go and look for you but nor were they discouraged from doing so.”

Obi-Wan nodded and looked up at R[retracted] for a moment before he spoke. “Can you please tell me what all this means? Please! I need to know why Master Qui-Gon attacked me like that and why Dooku had tortured those people. Please R[retracted]. I need to know.” Obi-Wan begged, eyes wide with desperation.

R[retracted] sighed behind his mask. The older man moved his hands once more to the mask and with quick fingers, R[retracted] removed it.

Under the mask was a rather average pale human male face. The hair was a dark brown that looked black in the low light of the room and the eyes shone bright amber that shone like toxic yellow poison against the paleness of his face. If it were not for those eyes, Obi-Wan would not think anything of this man.

But it was those eyes that gave him pause. They shone brightly against the other man’s face and the more Obi-Wan looked at them, the more he realised that they were the exact same shade as Dooku’s had been. A gasp of fear escaped from him as he nearly jumped off the bed to get away from R[retracted].

“Ease young one. I mean you no harm.” R[retracted] spoke soothingly. Obi-Wan trembled as he shifted away from the older man.

Obi-Wan had not noticed it before but the presence that had been in the castle was also here and it was coming from R[retracted]. He had subconsciously thought that the presence was tied to him but no, it was definitely coming from R[retracted].

“Tell me, what do you know of the Sith?” R[retracted] asked.

Obi-Wan frowned in confusion at the question that seemed to come out of nowhere and he worried silently as to why he was asked such a thing. But he did answer it slowly as R[retracted] seemed to be willing to wait for Obi-Wan to answer.

“The Sith were the opposite of Jedi… There was a war over a thousand years ago and the Sith were wiped out… And the pure blooded Sith, the ones from Korriban died long before the Sith that we know came about.” Obi-Wan spoke hesitantly, remembering his Galactic History classes faintly.

R[retracted] nodded and rubbed his clean shaven chin with one hand before he spoke. “The Sith were officially defeated and were more or less wiped out. A few did survive and there are a few out there now causing trouble here in and there.” R[retracted] shrugged. “But there are enough Jedi to keep them in order. What do you know about the Vam’pyre parasite?” He asked.

Obi-Wan blinked at both the information, that was absolutely mind blowing and no doubt a big secrete, and in confusion at the question. What the hell was a Vam’pyre?

His confusion must have been obvious because R[retracted] just shook his head and muttered something about lazy teachers and having a talk with Yoda about supressing history before he sighed and began a lecture that would change his life forever.

“A Vam’pyre is a parasite that was originally found on Korriban. It is a Dark creature that lives within the blood. For the native Sith, the Vam’pyre was a gift that was given only to those who were wisest and most clear of mind. It was said to give whoever hosted it incredible strength and speed. The only down side of hosting such a thing was that the host became weakened within the sun and would become unable to be aroused or enjoy sex.” R[retracted] explained. “When the exiled Dark Jedi found Korriban they also found the Vam’pyre parasite. For most part they found it to be repulsive and so they rejected the idea of it. They could easily get strength they need through the Force as with speed. As for the other part…” R[retracted] trailed off for a moment before shaking his head again. “There were a few of the former Jedi who enjoyed creating abominations. They used the Vam’pyre parasite as a base for their Force manipulations.”

Obi-Wan frowned at R[retracted] as he listened to what he had to say. Biting his lip, Obi-Wan quietly interrupted the older man. “You said that most who are attacked by a Vam’pyre do not live to tell the tale…” He trailed off.

R[retracted] nodded. “They don’t. When those Dark Jedi made the changes to the Vam’pyre parasite, they changed a mostly harmless Dark creature into something a lot more horrifying. The Vam’pyre parasite that they created was just as strong and as fast as the original but it now it also amplifies the hosts ability to use the Dark side of the Force. Hosts were now able to lull victims into a trance and keep them from being able to fight back. If a person has a strong will then the host would be able to use a now highly strong Force Suggestion against them. It also increased sex drive and potency in men. Since the parasite was in the blood, it could be transferred to children as well.”

That… Is beyond horrifying. Everything about it was horrifying. But that may explain what happened at the castle on Serenno, when he was unable to fight off the Suggestions.

“But even with those things, there was many drawbacks to being a host.” R[retracted] continued. “For starters the host would still be weakened by sun light. Hosts are more often than not uncontrollable in their first few years of being one with the parasite. The parasite itself was changed; it now needed fresh blood that did not belong to the host to survive. Whether it be from transfusion or from as you found out the hard way, attacks; the parasite would get its way. As a result of the bloodlust or from lack of feeding, a host’s breath would become very bad until the host has been feed.”

“So…so what you are saying is-” Obi-Wan swallowed hard and touched his hand to where the bite marks on his throat lay.

R[retracted] nodded, his face sympathetic. “Qui-Gon Jinn and Jard Dooku are both hosts to the Vam’pyre parasite. Our intelligence has found that Dooku was infected and turned several years ago and that Jinn was more than likely turned by Dooku and by a Sith only known as Plagueis in these last few months. Though I think that Jinn knew him as Hugo, the man you mentioned earlier.”

Obi-Wan stared up at R[retracted] with wide eyes, his hand closing completely around his neck as if to protect it. Parasite… Both Dooku and Qui-Gon were infected with a parasite. That was why they attacked him. Obi-Wan had a terrible thought and shivered.

“How… how does the parasite transfer from one person to another?” He whispered. There had to be a reason for his sudden thirst and desire for something other than water.

R[retracted] sighed and looked regretful. “Blood to blood transfusions. Normally an infected host would either attack or drain someone they wished to turn and feed the blood to the victim. Sometimes by opening their own veins and forcing the blood down the victim’s throats. Or if they are tidy, the host would use an IV.” R[retracted] explained to Obi-Wan’s growing horror.

Was that what they did to him? Forced blood down his throat? It would explain why Master Tholme had to wipe away blood from his hand when he touched Obi-Wan’s face but still… Why would they do that do him?

“My guess is they feed from you and gave you a small amount of their blood while you were unconscious.” R[retracted] answered the unasked questioned. “They must have torn through your shields as well when they used those Suggestions on you as they are quite frankly in pieces right now. I would be surprised if you could keep a youngling out.”

Obi-Wan continued to look up at R[retracted] in horror. He remembered that R[retracted] said something about his shields being down but the idea that Dooku and Qui-Gon were the ones to destroy them?...

And they had assaulted him while he was asleep. They took his blood and marked his body like they had every right to and worst of all, they have now infected him with a Dark parasite that was created by a Fallen Jedi who decided it was a great idea to fuck with parasites.

One would have to forgive the scream of anger and anguish that howled out of his mouth as he covered his face. How dare they? How dare they do such a thing to him?!

His body shook as uncontrollable emotions slammed into his body and mind. The pain and betrayal from Qui-Gon’s attack finally seemed to catch up with him and within those next few moments Obi-Wan Kenobi was not a Jedi Padawan who was trained in control and inner strength.

He was a teenage boy who’s mentor and father figure had betrayed him and had done him serious harm.

R[retracted] sat on the edge of the bed and placed his cool hand on the side of Obi-Wan’s arm. The gentle touch was enough to make him throw himself into the older man’s arms as he sobbed and screamed his pain. R[retracted] for his part did not seem to mind the howling teenager who was projecting all of his anguish around the room.

It took over ten minutes for Obi-Wan to even come close to calming down. His breath hitched in small sobs and tears ran freely down his face. But he pulled back from R[retracted] and wiped his face with a shaky hand and shook his head while mumbling an inaudible apology.

“Do not be sorry young one.” R[retracted] soothed Obi-Wan’s hair back. “It is healthy to express your pain and anger. And what you feel is very understandable. You trusted someone and they hurt you. You have every right to feel this way.”

Obi-Wan nodded and gave a pitiful sniff. “I can’t be a Jedi anymore can I?” He asked mournfully. If he is infected with this Dark parasite, then Obi-Wan was more of a liability then an asset to the Order. He may as well eat his lightsaber.

His lightsaber… Oh Force, his lightsaber was still at the castle. He would never get it back now. He had made that lightsaber with his own two hands and now it was gone. Greif tore at him again as another part of his life that he held dear was shattered and pulled away from him.

“Peace young one. You will be a Jedi still.” R[retracted] smiled softly and pulled the flask out of his robes. “It can take months or even years for the parasite to fully take hold of an unwilling victim. That being said, once the blood has been transfused into a victim’s body, the parasite will try and take hold and multiply on its own. To do that it need blood that does not belong to its new host. Most of the time the host will suffer from uncontrollable and untreatable thirst that will eventually drive the host to drink someone else’s blood, in whatever way they can.”

Obi-Wan blinked as he processed what R[retracted] told him. “So… The thirst that I felt was the parasite? But when you gave me the flask the thirst stops…” Obi-Wan trailed off with a look of horror. “Blood. You… the flask was filled with blood!”

R[retracted] nodded, his smile turning into a grin. “The flask did contain blood. And a chemical that attacks the parasite. Since it has been less then seventy-two hours the chemical will safely attack the parasite with no lasting ill effects.” R[retracted] paused for a second before adding. “You are going to be sick as hell though in a few hours. But that will let up in a couple of days.”

The look of horror that had grown upon his face was quickly replaced with a startled grin. “You mean I will not be infected anymore?” The hope was very clear within his voice. “What about Qui-Gon? If we give him this chemical, will he get better?”

R[retracted] shook his head, a sad look appearing on his face. “You can get better young on because you got to us before the parasite could multiply or do you any harm. Jinn on the other hand has had the parasite for too long. There will be no going back for him unfortunately.”

Obi-Wan’s smile disappeared and his face fell. There would be no hope for Qui-Gon then. His former Master and friend would forever be a servant of the Dark and would never again walk the road of Light with him.

R[retracted] reached out and gently cupped his red, tear streaked cheek. “Just because he is infected and turned, does not mean he cannot come back to the Light, young one. After all, I did.”

Wait what? Obi-Wan moved his head away from the hand and stared up at R[retracted] with a frown.

“Young one, my name is R[retracted]. Can you remember anyone else in your history lessons that held that name?” R[retracted]’s hand fell to his side and an almost cheeky looking grin appeared on his face.

“Wait… you mean…?” He can’t be. Obi-Wan looked at the youthful face with a slacked mouth.

“The parasite provides its host with extremely long life.” R[retracted] explained, gesturing to his own face. “So long as the parasite is fed, the host can live as long as they please. When I came back to the Light, the Council decided that my knowledge and experience of the Darkside was a huge asset and gave me a home here on Coruscant where I can be watched and monitored while teaching all I know to the next generations that came.”

Obi-Wan stared opened mouth at the living legend before him in awe. R [retracted] looked like he was in his late forties, not over a thousand years old! Master Yoda himself had only just passed his nine hundredth year and he was a the oldest in the Order!

R [retracted] chuckled at Obi-Wan’s expression and shook his head. “I know; I do not look as I should.” The man sobered up quickly, a sadness appearing on his face. “The day I stop feeding the parasite within me, the parasite will die; taking me with it.”

Obi-Wan frowned up at him, the wonder and awe quickly leaving his mind as he thought over the implications that the parasites will pose for all of the Jedi and for Qui-Gon.

“How… How do you keep the parasite feed? And how can we get Qui-Gon to come back to the Light like you did R [retracted]?” He asked.

R [retracted] sighed and rubbed a hand over his face slowly before speaking. “The Order provides tainted blood bags for me. Hospitals cannot use anything that is tainted and the parasite doesn’t care what is in the blood so long as it is feed.” The older man explained. “And as for your Qui-Gon…” R[retracted] trailed off and did not finish his sentence.

“Please! Tell me what can be done!” Obi-Wan begged, eyes show his desperation.

R[retracted] sighed. “I killed my wife and unborn child, young one. That is how I came back to the Light.” There was regret and sorrow within the older man’s voice as he spoke. “Your Qui-Gon will need to feel an all-consuming grief and forgiveness if he is going to be able to pull himself away from the Dark.”

Obi-Wan’s frown deepened as he thought. “I am sorry for your loss R[retracted]” He whispered softly. He could feel R[retracted]’s pained as he spoke. “I will get Qui-Gon to turn back to the Light! And Dooku as well!” He spoke with determination.

R[retracted] smiled softly and placed a hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “Do not give up on them child. They will come back if you find a way. But the moment you give up on them is the moment they are damned forever you understand?”

Obi-Wan nodded, a fierce look upon his face. “I will not abandon them. I will find a way to fix this and help destroy the Sith!”

R[retracted] chuckled and shook his head. “The enthusiasm of youth has not changed in all of these years.” He smiled once more. “I am going to send you to sleep now young Kenobi. The chemical will be attacking the parasite soon and you do not wish to be awake for that.”

Obi-Wan pouted slightly and nodded. He did not want to be awake for it either. But he also was beginning to hate being put to sleep again and again. Shifting in the bed, Obi-Wan found a stop that was comfortable and shut his eyes as R[retracted] placed his hand upon his forehead. There was a gentle whisper within his mind and soon Obi-Wan fell into a dreamless sleep.

-

Let me tell you this, that chemical that R[retracted] used to kill the Vam’pyre parasite that had been in my body? That had been the most painful moment of my life.

And that is saying a lot. Go ahead, read my mission reports and see how painful things can get for me on a regular basis. Nothing that I have done has ever compared to the destruction of the parasites within my blood.

That being said, I have never quite given up on freeing Qui-Gon and Dooku from the Dark. There is no hope that they could become fully human again like I did but there is still a chance, no matter how small, that they can both come back to the Light and become the Jedi they once were.

No one knows where or who Hugo/ Plagueis is. The only information we have was that he is a Munn and the very small information that R[retracted] managed to find out before he was murdered. We are still looking for a way to find and kill the Munn before he can infect and turn anymore of out Jedi.

I found out several years later after this experience who those men were in that locked room. Their names were Xanatos Du Crion and Feemor Irongard. Both of them were my Padawan Brothers.

Xanatos had been missing for quite some time before Qui-Gon left the Order. Everyone knew that he was a Fallen Jedi and that he was dangerous. What no one knew was where he had gone. He had kept a low profile and stayed out of everyone’s way so no one noticed when he suddenly disappeared.

Feemor was an AgriCorps Knight. He was known to be out in the far Outer Rim with barely any contact. It wasn’t until he had not checked in for a year that someone raised the alarm. They traced several Comm messages that Feemor had made before his disappearance to Serrano and Qui-Gon.

I guess that Qui-Gon lured them to him like he had done to me.

We were too late to save either of them. They are both infected and turned now. I have faced both of them and at this point in time neither of them seem willing to come back to the Light.

Which is fine. I will drag them all back by the Force damned hair if I have to.

This is Obi-Wan Kenobi. Signing off to go and drink my damned bottle of brandy. I will write the next encounter some other time.


End file.
